SCOTT FAWCETT FROM BINCHESTER AND HARTLEPOOL JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCES AND PAROLE BREACHES

In a serious case that highlights ongoing concerns about convicted sex offenders and their compliance with legal restrictions, Scott Fawcett, a resident of Binchester and Hartlepool, has been sentenced to prison for multiple violations of his parole conditions and for engaging in criminal activities involving minors.

Fawcett, who was previously convicted in 2012 for engaging in sexual activity with an underage girl he had groomed through Facebook, was released from prison with strict conditions. Among these was a lifelong obligation to inform police of his current residence at all times. Despite this, authorities discovered that he had failed to comply with these requirements, leading to his recent incarceration.

The court heard that Fawcett had registered addresses in Furness Street, Hartlepool, and in County Durham. However, it was revealed that he was not residing at either of these locations. Instead, he had moved in with a woman and her child at an address that was not disclosed to the police. This breach was considered particularly serious because it involved not only a failure to notify authorities of his whereabouts but also spending more than 12 hours in a house where a child was present, raising significant concerns about the safety and oversight of his movements.

Prosecutor Nigel Soppitt emphasized that the police had become aware of Fawcett’s non-compliance and that he was deliberately hiding his true location. Fawcett’s history of breaches was not new; he had previously been convicted of breaching the terms of his release from prison. During that earlier period, he had used aliases to access the internet in a public library and contacted other individuals online, further demonstrating a pattern of evading supervision.

Fawcett, now aged 29, admitted to two breaches of his notification requirements. Judge Howard Crowson sentenced him to 12 months in prison, explicitly warning him about the importance of honesty and compliance. The judge stated, “You deliberately lied to the police about where you were living. You must understand they are there for a reason, and when you are released from this sentence they will still be in force and must be complied with.”

In a related case from February 2012, Fawcett, then of Granville Terrace, Binchester, near Spennymoor, County Durham, was convicted of befriending a 15-year-old girl on Facebook and subsequently engaging in sexual activity with her. The court heard how Fawcett arranged to meet the girl outside a North-East youth club on June 6 of that year. The girl, who was described as extremely vulnerable, told police that Fawcett, then 23, kissed her in a wooded area after she disclosed her age. She later expressed to authorities that the encounter did not feel right and that she had asked him to stop, but he continued his inappropriate behavior.

Fawcett admitted to three counts of sexual activity with a child, although a charge of rape was not pursued due to lack of evidence. He was also found to have threatened to kill a former partner, damaged property, and made threatening phone calls, including a message to her solicitor stating she would be “dead within a few hours.”

In mitigation, Fawcett’s legal representatives highlighted his previous good character and his early admission of guilt. Nonetheless, the court sentenced him to three years in prison for the sexual offenses and an additional year to run consecutively for the threats and assault related to his former partner. The sentences reflect the gravity of his actions and the ongoing concern about his conduct following his release from incarceration.