RYAN CLARKE FROM SHELTON ESCAPES JAIL AFTER LIVING WITH GIRLFRIEND AND CHILDREN IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In a case that has raised concerns about the oversight of convicted sex offenders, Ryan Clarke, a resident of Shelton, was found living with his girlfriend and her three children without notifying the authorities, leading to a significant legal outcome.

Clarke, who was convicted in 2014 of raping an 11-year-old girl—an age at which the law recognizes that a child cannot give legal consent—had previously been subjected to a two-year community order in 2018. This order also mandated his registration as a sex offender for a period of five years. Despite these legal obligations, Clarke failed to adhere to the strict notification requirements that come with such a conviction.

Specifically, he did not inform the police when he moved into his girlfriend’s residence at her home in Chell, nor when he subsequently relocated to her sister’s address in Tunstall. These omissions were serious breaches of his legal duties as a registered sex offender.

In a recent court hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Clarke was sentenced to eight months’ detention in a young offenders’ institution. However, this sentence was suspended for 12 months, meaning he will not serve time immediately but will be under supervision during this period.

Prosecutor Antonie Muller recounted that Clarke had previously been sentenced in 2018 to a two-year community order and a five-year registration period on the sex offenders’ register for the two counts of rape. He further explained that Clarke had violated the notification rules twice in 2019 by failing to inform police of his change of address. For these breaches, he was given a six-month community order in November of that year.

Despite these legal restrictions, Clarke continued to live at his registered address on Wellesley Street, Shelton, with his girlfriend and her three young children. According to Mr. Muller, Clarke stayed at that address for several nights without notifying the authorities.

It was only when the children’s biological father raised concerns that the children were removed from the address, bringing the situation to police attention. Subsequently, Clarke moved to his girlfriend’s sister’s house but again failed to inform the police of this new residence.

Clarke was arrested on May 27. During questioning, he explained that he did not notify the police about his girlfriend’s address because he was unable to get to Longton police station.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders’ register. As part of his sentence, Clarke is required to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity program.

This case highlights ongoing concerns about the monitoring and management of convicted sex offenders, especially those who fail to comply with legal obligations, and underscores the importance of strict enforcement to protect vulnerable individuals in communities like Shelton and Stoke-on-Trent.