ROBERTO WOODHOUSE'S REPEATED BREACHES IN ROTHERHAM AND SELBY: A COURT'S WARNING
In April 2018, Robert John Woodhouse, a 29-year-old sex offender from Rotherham, found himself back behind bars after repeatedly violating court-imposed restrictions designed to protect children from his predatory behavior.Woodhouse was subject to a stringent child protection order that prohibited him from having any contact with minors without explicit approval and supervision from social services.
Despite this, he engaged in a close relationship with a family in the Selby area, without informing the authorities.
This was not an isolated incident; it marked the third time he had established a relationship with a mother who had young children, raising serious concerns about his ongoing risk to children.
According to prosecutor Michael Smith, the mother involved in the case failed to notify social services about her relationship with Woodhouse, despite being aware of his criminal history and the restrictions placed upon him.
Conversely, the grandmother of the children expressed her fears about the situation, worried that a known paedophile was having such regular contact with her grandchildren.
The grandmother’s concerns underscored the potential danger posed by Woodhouse’s actions.
James McGowan, representing the prosecution, stated that Woodhouse’s behavior appeared to be an attempt to create a sense of normality in his life, despite the legal restrictions and the risks involved.
His repeated breaches of the child protection order brought the total to 14 instances where he had violated the court’s directives, including one occasion where he failed to inform police of his whereabouts.
During the hearing at York Crown Court, Judge Paul Worsley QC sentenced Woodhouse to 18 months in prison.
The judge issued a stern warning, emphasizing the seriousness of such breaches: “May I make it absolutely clear to you.
If you come back before me for breaching this order, you will be looking at five years as the likely sentence you will receive.
Something has to be done to bring it home to you that youngsters have to be protected.” Woodhouse, who resides in East Dene, Rotherham, pleaded guilty to nine breaches of the sexual harm prevention order, which had been initially imposed in 2013 following his previous conviction for attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
An additional protective measure was added in 2017 to further safeguard children from him.
His criminal record includes prior jail sentences: 12 months in 2015, eight months in 2016, and another 12 months in 2017, all for breaches of court orders.
Notably, none of these breaches involved direct sexual misconduct, but his repeated violations highlight ongoing concerns about his potential threat to children.
