November 2020 Controlling boyfriend’s convictions for child sex offences A violent, bullying and controlling boyfriend was previously convicted for a string of sickening sex offences against children. Phillip Watson was jailed for two-and-a-half years last week over a nine-month campaign of domestic abuse against his disabled partner, which included monitoring her movements using a tracking device. However, we can now reveal that the 26-year-old, of no fixed address but from Warrington, served time behind bars as a teenager after twice attempting to rape an eight-year-old girl and sexually assaulting a five-year-old boy. Watson, who could not be named at the time as he was aged only 14, was told he may never be released from prison after being found guilty of the ‘premeditated acts carried out in secluded areas’ in 2009 – which also included two sexual assaults against a 13-year-old girl. He was handed an indeterminate sentence of two years, but was later released on a life licence. Sentencing at the time, judge Thomas Teague said: “What you did to those children was very wrong. “I think you are a serious danger to young children, and are likely to carry on being a considerable danger. “The authorities will only release you if and when they decide it is safe to do so.” Watson was also disqualified from working with children and placed on the sex offenders register for life following this conviction. His latest offences were committed between June 2017 and March 2018. Liverpool Crown Court heard that the defendant monitored his ‘vulnerable’ victim’s movements using a tracking device fitted within a watch he had given to her. Watson decided where she could go, who she could see, what she could wear, how her hair and makeup should be done and when and where she could sleep. He prevented his partner from seeing her family and made threats to her dad and brother, forced her to ‘pull sickies’ from work and controlled her finances. She suffered bruising and pain after the defendant assaulted her while ‘purporting to be play fighting’, and even attempted to control her behaviour via a third party after being recalled to prison. Watson was found guilty of engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour by a jury and jailed again on Monday, November 16.