STEPHEN BROWN, CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER, REARRESTED IN NEWCASTLE DURING CHRISTMAS SEASON
A convicted paedophile, Stephen Brown, aged 40, has been rejailed after impersonating Santa Claus and attempting to take photos with children in exchange for money in Newcastle city centre.Brown was positioned near Fenwick’s festive window display, dressed in a red Santa suit complete with a fake white beard.
He held a sign that read, "get ya picture taken and leave Santa Claus a donation," and offered to pose for photos with youngsters.
Police believe two individuals took pictures with him unaware of his criminal background.
Warning signs arose when security staff at Fenwick’s became suspicious of the man loitering outside the store.
They alerted police, who then discovered that Brown had been issued a lifetime sexual offences protection order in 2012 following a five-year sentence for possessing indecent images and inciting a child to perform a sex act.
Brown was swiftly arrested by officers on Northumberland Street on Saturday.
He faced charges of breaching his sexual offences order for the second occasion since his release from prison in January 2017.
On Monday, Brown, from Fawdon, Newcastle, was sentenced to six weeks in jail at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court.
He was previously jailed for five years in July 2012 after admitting multiple child sex offences.
Court reports revealed that a teenage girl had contacted police after an anonymous social media account befriended her, sending her sexual messages, which encouraged her to perform sexual acts and even included threats when she refused.
During a raid at his home, authorities uncovered numerous indecent images of children.
Brown was convicted of 14 offences, including possession and making indecent images and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Chief Inspector Steve Wykes of Northumbria Police commended Fenwick's security staff and patrol officers for their teamwork.
He stated: "Stephen Brown would not have looked out of place on Northumberland Street this weekend dressed as Santa Claus.
There has been a fantastic atmosphere in the city in the lead-up to Christmas and thousands of people were in the area shopping." "Many passersby would have believed it was normal for him to offer to take photos with children.
However, Fenwick's security staff noticed something suspicious, contacted officers, and appropriate actions were taken.
Brown’s SOPO clearly prohibited him from having contact with children unless with parental or guardian consent, which was not the case here."
