February 2021 Sex offender breached court order within a month of release A sex offender who has repeatedly breached court orders over Internet access and use is back behind bars after his latest lapse. Roman Wilkes, then known as Martin Easton, was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and notification as a sex offender at Newcastle Crown Court, in April 2012. It followed his conviction for several offences, including possessing indecent images of children, causing a child to watch a sexual act and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. Durham Crown Court was told he was back at court for breaches of the order in 2018 and, again, the following year when he was jailed for ten months, after a judge told him he, “clearly had an unhealthy interest in young people”, describing him as, “someone who poses a significant risk, in sexual terms, to children.” Wilkes, 41, of Cavel Square, Easington Colliery, was before the court for his latest offences, having admitted two further breaches of a SHPO, plus failing to comply with registration requirements. Chris Baker, prosecuting, said the defendant changed his name to his latest identity in July last year. Mr Baker said the latest breaches came to light when police were informed by a woman that she had been in contact with Wilkes on two social media platforms, including a dating site, for a few weeks, on January 2 this year. Police visited his home and seized his phone, analysis of which revealed 11 social media appliances had been inserted, mainly dating apps, between February and October last year, in breach of the SHPO. By the time police checked the phone all the sites had been deleted, which, again, formed a breach of the order Mr Baker said the defendant had also used two user names, ‘Geordie Viking 1980’ and ‘Roman M James’, aliases he was forbidden from using under the terms of the notification requirements, and, again, which he had failed to report to police. “He had been repeatedly spoken last year about the prohibitions and clearly understood the terms, having been sent documents during 2020,” added Mr Baker.   When interviewed Wilkes made no replies to questions. Thomas Parsons-Munn, in mitigation, said it was the defendant’s own honesty with the woman he was communicating with, disclosing his previous convictions, which led to him going back before the court. “He should not have been speaking with her in the first place, but still shows levels of progress he has made.” Judge Ray Singh pointed out that Wilkes was only released from prison in January last year and remained on licence until July, so the offences took place from only a month after leaving custody. Describing them as, “persistent breaches”, he imposed a three-year prison sentence and put in place a new ten-year SHPO. August 2019 Sex offender who ‘poses a significant risk to children’ jailed for breaching strict court order over internet access A sex offender who ‘poses a significant risk to children’ has been jailed for breaching a strict court order by failing to tell police he had access to the internet. Martin Easton has to abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which contains a clause that he must notify the the police if he obtains any phone or computer devices, within three days of receiving them. The order was imposed after the 39-year-old’s convictions in 2012 for inciting sexual activity with children and possessing indecent photographs. He had contacted a 14-year-old girl over the internet and asked her for indecent photos. But Easton had already spent a year grooming another 14-year-old girl during a long running grooming process over the web and by text. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an indecent photograph of the 14-year-old he had befriended after he persuaded her to send him a topless shot. Newcastle Crown Court heard when police attended a hostel at Norfolk Street in Sunderland in May to carry out a risk review, Easton was caught with a mobile phone and computer tablet. Prosecutor Jenny Haigh told the court: “He had obtained these in March and had not informed the police he was in possession of those items. As a result he was cautioned and arrested and taken to the police station.” Easton pleaded guilty to two offences of breach of a sexual harm prevention order. The court heard he has a previous conviction for breach of the order in 2018, when police caught him with an iPhone and a computer tablet. Judge Jeremy Freedman sentenced him to ten months behind bars. Update: Now living in Sunderland – But visits Peterlee on a regular basis October 2012 Dad posed as teen to entice young girls A married dad pretended to be an Canadian hunk with film-star looks to groom young schoolgirls. Martin Easton, 32 had a wife and three children at home. But unknown to his family he had created a fake Facebook profile – complete with fake photographs – pretending he was a teenage heart throb from halfway around the world, Newcastle crown court heard. Easton, of Park Terrace Swalwell, Gateshead, contacted a 14-year-old girl over the internet and asked her for indecent photos. She soon realized he was much older from the words he was using and logged off, the court heard. But Easton had already spent a year grooming another 14-year-old girl during a long running grooming process over the web and by text. Judge Roger Thorn QC said: “You adopted a false persona, a young Canadian aged 17 to 18, with a photo of almost film-star proportions to a youngster. “You clearly have a very embedded sexual interest in underage girls.” Easton admitted inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, causing her to watch a sexual act and attempting to facilitate the commission of a child sex offence. He also pleaded guilty to possessing an indecent photograph of the 14-year-old he had befriended after he persuaded her to send him a topless shot. Easton was given a 12-month jail term suspended for two years with supervision. He must attend a sex offender treatment programme and register with police for the next seven years. James Adkin, prosecuting, said a check of Easton’s fake Facebook account showed he had 75 friends. Mr Adkin added: “The vast majority were females aged about 14.” The mother of the girl Easton befriended told in a victim impact statement how the family had to leave the area. Gavin Doig, mitigating, said Easton had lost his marriage, job and had almost no contact with his children since his arrest last year. He told the court: “He is the only person to blame and that is a great burden on his conscience. “He didn’t have any intention to meet the girls, there was no physical contact and he has no previous convictions.”