August 2018 ‘Devious’ pervert with 95 offences on his record is back behind bars A devious pervert with 95 offences on his record is back behind bars after he was caught with child abuse images – AGAIN. Paedophile Robert Hicks, who has been a registered sex offender since 2003, was only released from prison four months ago. But the 64-year-old has now been locked up for another 14 months after he breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by making indecent photographs of children and using a tablet and memory stick. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard police visited the Shelton bail hostel to see if he was complying with the indefinite SHPO, which prevents him from using any device capable of accessing the internet or storing images. They searched his room and found a memory stick and an electronic tablet where indecent images of children were uncovered. Prosecutor Paul Spratt said the defendant was released from prison on April 20 and was provided with accommodation at the Wharf Lane Hostel. Police visited him on July 10 to make sure he was complying with his SHPO. Mr Spratt said: “The defendant initially offered a mobile telephone, hoping to give them the impression that was the only item he had. “Officers searched his room and found a memory stick and an electronic tablet. Seven indecent images of children were found on the memory stick.” Hicks, of Rectory Road, Shelton, pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching a SHPO and one charge of making indecent images of children. The court heard Hicks has 95 previous offences for similar matters. Jailing Hicks, Judge Paul Glenn said: “You are utterly devious. You have been totally undeterred by custodial sentences. “When the police visited you on July 10 you behaved as you usually do, you lied. You claimed you only had a mobile that could access the internet and no items that could store photos. Police found a memory stick, you tried to hide, and a tablet. There was a small number of images on the memory stick.” October 2015 Pervert, 61, fled before being jailed after breaking sex order Pervert Robert Hicks downloaded thousands of indecent images of children on computers and phones – despite being subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO). The 61-year-old, of no fixed address, who has been a registered sex offender since 2003, left Staffordshire and fled to Aberdeen when he knew police were about to discover the breaches. He did not notify police he was leaving the county, that he had a bank account and that he registered with a casting agency in the name of Rob Lewis. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that before leaving for Scotland, Hicks told officers he did not have any devices which could connect to the internet. But when they arrested him in Scotland they found a number of laptops and phones. They were analysed and found to contain more than 2,200 indecent images. Now Hicks has been jailed for two-and-a-half years. Prosecutor Heather Chamberlin said Hicks left his home on July 26 and was found in an Aberdeen guest house on August 14. Miss Chamberlin said: “Police went to that address. They discovered a white Transit van. The B&B was searched and a laptop and two phones were recovered. And from the van they found two USBs, a tablet, a laptop and a computer tower.” The equipment was analysed and was found to contain 13 still images at category A – the most serious; 32 at category B and 2,174 at category C. There were also four moving images at category C. Miss Chamberlin said: “There were numerous searches for teens and pre-teens websites, all for girls.” She added that a USB stick contained 598 images of children, a mobile had six images of young girls and another phone had 231 images of two girls sat on a train. Hicks also installed software which allowed anonymous communication on the internet. And officers found a document at his home which showed he auditioned for a part in a film under the name Rob Lewis which he failed to tell the police. Hicks pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements by not telling police about his bank account and three offences of breaching a SOPO. And on a separate indictment he admitted four offences of making indecent photographs of a child; four offences of breaching a SOPO; and failing to comply with notification requirements. Kevin Mortlock, mitigating, said Hicks sees his viewing of indecent images as an addiction. Mr Mortlock said: “His moving away was designed to make it more difficult to detect he was viewing images. “Police were always going to trace him as he left a digital footprint.” Judge Paul Glenn told Hicks: “You have treated SOPOs with contempt. “You have shown yourself to be a devious man. You fled from Staffordshire because you realised you would be arrested. “You gave a false name to avoid detection. The breaches are serious. “They are deliberate. November 2013 Stafford man ‘addicted’ to indecent images of children jailed for flouting internet ban A STAFFORD man ‘addicted’ to indecent images of children has been jailed for flouting an order banning his accessing the internet.  Police discovered two laptops and other internet devices hidden at Robert Hicks’s home in Stafford during a routine risk assessment check. The laptops were later examined and found to contain thousands of indecent images of children. Stafford crown court heard the defendant had a string of previous convictions and jail sentences involving indecent images of children.  In 2009, the Court of Appeal made him subject to an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order prohibiting him from having internet capable devices. Fiona Cortese said in April this year police paid Hicks a surprise visit at his home to carry out a risk assessment and found a memory card in his bedroom. That led to a more thorough search in July when two laptops were recovered, one hidden behind a bath panel, the other behind some books, along with a SIM card. Hicks, aged 59, of Christie Avenue, Stafford was jailed for a total of 28 months after admitting charges of breaching the SOPO and making indecent images of children. Recorder David Mason QC said: “He has an addiction to this type of behaviour.” The judge heard Hicks had 61 previous convictions involving indecent images of children and breaches of the order. In January 2010, Hicks, a former RAF serviceman and hospital radio enthusiast, was jailed for 39 months. The judge told him: “I hope you mean what you say – you recognise you have a problem in looking at child pornography.” Miss Cortese said the analysis of the laptops showed Hicks had been actively searching for images of children on the internet. When questioned, he said he would search for photos of children aged around 13 and that he needed help to address this “fascination”. He said he had hidden the laptops and other equipment because he knew he wasn’t supposed to have them. Joanne Clark, defending, said: “He cannot deal with this on his own without some help. He has continued to  download indecent images, but he’s had no actual contact with children.” April 2009 Sex offender wins appeals A SEX offender who was jailed indefinitely for internet porn offences has walked free from court. Robert Llewelleyn Hicks, of Christie Avenue, Stafford, was sentenced to indefinite imprisonment for public protection at Stafford Crown Court in May 2007 after police found a computer containing indecent images of young girls in his home. But the 54-year-old was released today as the Court of Appeal substituted a standard one-year term. Judges said there was insufficient evidence of a future risk of harm to the public. Hicks was told that he could go free, but must agree to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order