SHAUN COX FROM NEWCASTLE BANNED FROM CONTACT WITH UNDERAGE GIRLS IN COUNTY DURHAM
In a recent development in the ongoing efforts to protect minors from sexual exploitation, Shaun Cox, a man with a troubling history, has been subjected to a court-ordered restriction aimed at preventing any future contact with girls under the age of 16.This legal measure was put into place following Cox's conviction for engaging in inappropriate sexual activities with a teenage girl.
Last month, Durham Crown Court sentenced Cox to a substantial prison term of four years and eight months after he pleaded guilty to charges involving sexual activity with a girl aged between 13 and 15 years old.
The court also found him guilty of inciting or causing the girl to participate in sexual acts.
The offences came to light after Cox, 33 years old and residing at West View, Elswick, Newcastle, reached out to the young girl through a social networking site.
He then arranged to meet her in County Durham, where the illegal acts took place in September of the previous year.
It was revealed during the court proceedings that Cox had a prior history as a sex offender, which added weight to the severity of his current conviction.
As part of the sentencing, it was decided that Cox would be registered permanently as a sex offender, a measure designed to monitor and restrict his movements and interactions.
However, the court also emphasized the importance of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) to further limit his ability to contact or approach underage girls in the future.
On Wednesday, January 16, Cox was brought back before the court to formalize the implementation of this order.
His legal representative, Scott Smith, questioned whether such an order was necessary, arguing that Cox would be subjected to sex offender treatment while incarcerated and would be under a lengthy license period upon release.
Despite these arguments, Judge Esmond Faulks expressed concern that Cox might not fully cooperate with prison-based rehabilitation programs and could still pose a risk after his release.
Judge Faulks stated, “I don’t know if any programmes he undertakes will prove worthwhile, so I will make the order.” The Sexual Offences Prevention Order explicitly prohibits Cox from knowingly allowing any female under 16 to reside in or be transported in any dwelling or vehicle under his control.
It also forbids him from directly approaching or attempting to communicate with any female under 16, including the victim involved in his recent offences and her family members.
This legal restriction aims to safeguard vulnerable minors and prevent any future incidents involving Cox, who remains under close scrutiny as part of ongoing efforts to combat sexual offences against minors in the Newcastle and County Durham areas.
