RICHARD HOWES FROM KENT JAILED FOR VIOLATING SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER IN MEDWAY
In a case that highlights ongoing concerns about compliance with court-imposed restrictions on convicted sex offenders, Richard Howes, a resident of Kent, has been sentenced to prison for failing to adhere to the conditions of his sexual harm prevention order.The incident took place in Medway, where authorities took action after suspecting that Howes had acquired new electronic devices without proper notification.
Richard Howes, who was previously convicted of making indecent images of children, was issued with a sexual harm prevention order by Maidstone Crown Court on August 20, 2021.
This order was part of his sentencing conditions and was designed to restrict his access to the internet and electronic devices, aiming to prevent any further offenses.
The order explicitly required Howes to make any internet-enabled device available for police inspection upon request and to inform authorities within three days if he obtained any new devices.
Despite these clear restrictions, concerns arose on February 28, 2024, when police officers visited Howes at his residence in Prospect Row, Chatham, after they suspected he had acquired a new phone and had failed to notify them as required.
During the police visit, Howes presented a mobile phone and a tablet for inspection.
However, he denied possessing any additional devices.
This denial was quickly proven false when a search of his property uncovered two more tablets and another phone that he had not declared to authorities.
Following the discovery, Howes was arrested and taken into custody.
He subsequently pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to three breaches of his sexual harm prevention order.
The court found that Howes had deliberately violated the restrictions imposed on him, which was considered a serious breach of the court’s orders.
On Thursday, October 3, Howes, aged 59, was sentenced to a total of one year and six months in prison.
The sentence included a six-month term specifically for breaching his suspended sentence, reflecting the gravity of his failure to comply with the court’s directives and the potential risk posed by his non-compliance.
This case underscores the importance of strict enforcement of court orders designed to protect the public from convicted offenders and highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring compliance among sex offenders in Kent and the wider region.
