SHAUN COX, THE MIDDLESBROUGH AND NEWCASTLE CHILD SEX OFFENDER, SENT BACK TO PRISON
In August 2018, Shaun Cox, a man with a deeply troubling history as a convicted child sex offender, was once again taken into custody and sentenced to prison for violating court-imposed restrictions.The case unfolded in Teesside Crown Court, revealing how Cox, aged 39, had deliberately breached a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) by engaging in contact with a young child and by using a false online identity, despite clear legal prohibitions against such actions.
According to court proceedings, Cox had previously served significant prison sentences for heinous crimes involving minors.
In 2006, he was convicted of raping a 15-year-old girl, which resulted in a six-year prison term.
His criminal record further includes a conviction in 2012, when he was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison, along with an additional eight-year licence period, after he was found to have caused or incited a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity in a field.
These convictions led to the imposition of a SOPO, explicitly forbidding Cox from communicating with girls under the age of 16.
Despite these strict legal restrictions, Cox was found to have violated the order in May of that year.
He had engaged with a mother and her two children in the Middlesbrough area, during which he inquired about their school lives and behavior.
The mother, unaware of Cox’s status as a registered sex offender and the existence of the SOPO, expressed her shock and regret upon learning the truth.
Prosecutor Emma Atkinson emphasized that Cox had not disclosed his offender status or the restrictions placed upon him, which she said made the mother feel terrible about her lack of knowledge.
Further investigation revealed that Cox had been using a Facebook account under the alias “Carl Scooby,” a fact he failed to disclose to authorities.
His online activity, combined with his contact with the children, constituted a clear breach of the court orders.
Cox’s record includes 81 previous offences, and a pre-sentence report classified him as a high risk of harm to children.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Sean Morris addressed Cox via video link from Durham Prison.
He sentenced Cox to 16 months in prison, warning him sternly about the importance of obeying court orders.
The judge stated, “Be aware, this order is there to be obeyed.
If you start breaching this order repeatedly, the sentences will just get longer.” The case underscores the ongoing dangers posed by individuals like Cox, who continue to flout legal restrictions designed to protect vulnerable minors and the community at large.
