SCOTT BRAY AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENDER BREACHES IN STOKE-ON-TRENT
A convicted sex offender named Scott Bray has been sentenced to prison after engaging in a relationship with a vulnerable woman he met through social media in Stoke-on-Trent.Bray, aged 24, has a history of sexually harmful conduct and had previously been given a 12-month suspended jail sentence along with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in July for possession of child abuse images.
Despite these legal restrictions, Bray was found to have violated the terms of his SHPO by failing to notify police within the stipulated three days about possessing a phone and an Xbox games console.
This breach was uncovered during a police investigation when authorities visited an address in Stoke-on-Trent, where Bray was residing with his new girlfriend.
The police report indicated that Bray initially denied having a phone when questioned but later admitted to possessing one since at least December 31 — over three days prior to the police visit.
It was through this phone that Bray maintained contact with a woman aged 23 with learning difficulties, her vulnerabilities exploited as their relationship developed.
Further complicating his breaches, Bray failed to adhere to the notification requirements of the sex offenders' register, as he used three different social media accounts under various aliases without informing the authorities.
His grandmother confirmed that Bray had been active online, speaking through these multiple profiles, and that the accounts were used to communicate with his girlfriend.
On January 18, police revisited Bray’s residence and recovered an Xbox console.
During interviews, Bray admitted to using social media accounts under different names, which directly violated the conditions of his SHPO.
The police found that Bray had been staying at his address in Stoke-on-Trent without prior approval from his offender manager, constituting a breach of the suspended sentence he was under.
Prosecutor Ben Lawrence detailed that Bray's breaches included not only the failure to notify authorities about his phone and gaming console but also the online activity involving the vulnerable woman.
Bray acknowledged in police interviews that he was aware he was in breach of his legal obligations.
Bray, who has no fixed address, pleaded guilty to multiple charges: two counts of breaching the SHPO, failure to comply with sex offenders’ register notification requirements, and breach of his suspended sentence.
His legal representative, Rob Holt, argued that Bray was genuinely remorseful and had learned from his missteps, claiming that Bray’s actions were not targeted at the vulnerable woman, whom he did not seek to exploit.
Holt also mentioned that Bray had been assaulted while in custody and was suffering from anxiety and depression.
However, the court, led by Recorder Julian Taylor, emphasized the seriousness of Bray’s violations.
Bray was subsequently sentenced to 16 months in prison at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
The judge also reaffirmed that Bray remains subject to the 10-year SHPO and will be on the sex offenders’ register for the same duration, underscoring the ongoing restrictions and monitoring imposed on him due to his past and recent conduct.
