SHAWN CHANCE FROM ORFORD FACES COURT AGAIN OVER CHILD GROOMING INCIDENTS IN WARRINGTON

In June 2020, a disturbing case involving Shawn Chance, a man from Orford, came back into the spotlight as he appeared once more before the courts to face serious allegations related to his previous criminal conduct. Chance, who has a troubling history of sexual offenses against minors, was involved in a case that drew significant attention from local authorities and the community alike.

Back in 2015, Chance, then residing in Poplars Avenue, Orford, was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a teenage girl. The court at that time found him guilty of multiple charges, including meeting a child following grooming, inciting a child aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, and possession of indecent images of a child. The victim’s mother publicly expressed her heartbreak, stating that her daughter’s innocence had been stolen by Chance’s actions. She described her feelings of disgust and anger upon discovering that her daughter had been taken advantage of in the weeks following Easter, after Chance refused to leave her daughter alone. The mother also voiced her regret that she was not warned about Chance earlier, hoping that sharing her story might prevent other families from suffering similar pain.

Fast forward to February of the previous year, Chance, now aged 27 and residing in Biggin Court, Orford, was found to have breached a notification order that had been imposed following his earlier conviction. The order required him to register any aliases he was using with the authorities. However, he failed to comply with this requirement, which led to further legal trouble. Despite this breach, Chance did not attend the unpaid work sessions assigned to him by magistrates in February and March of that year, further demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance.

On Tuesday, June 16, at Warrington Magistrates Court, Chance admitted to failing to adhere to the community order. The court sentenced him to a 12-week imprisonment, but this sentence was suspended for 12 months. Additionally, he was ordered to serve an eight-week electronically monitored curfew from 6 pm to 6 am, restricting his movements during those hours. The court’s decision reflected a cautious approach, aiming to monitor Chance’s behavior while providing him with an opportunity to comply with the conditions set forth.

Four and a half years prior, at Chester Crown Court, Chance had been sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple sexual offenses involving a minor. The victim’s mother, recalling that time, emphasized the profound impact of Chance’s actions, stating that her daughter’s innocence had been irreparably damaged. The court had also ordered Chance to complete 20 sessions of a sex offenders’ treatment program, sign the sex offenders’ register for five years, and pay £1,000 in court costs and victim surcharge. Despite the leniency of the suspended sentence, the mother expressed her disappointment, noting that she had expected a prison sentence and highlighting the emotional toll the case had taken on her family.

Throughout these proceedings, the community and the victims’ families have remained deeply concerned about Chance’s ongoing compliance and the safety of children in the area. The case underscores the importance of vigilance and the need for continued efforts to protect minors from predators like Shawn Chance, whose criminal history and recent breaches serve as stark reminders of the ongoing threat posed by such individuals.