STEPHEN JAMES OF GRANTHAM CAUGHT IN SOCIAL MEDIA SEX OFFENDER VIOLATION

In a recent development in the ongoing case involving a known sex offender from Grantham, Stephen James, the authorities have uncovered new details about his activities on social media platforms. James, who is currently residing back in Grantham, was found to have failed to comply with the strict notification requirements mandated by the sex offenders’ register, a violation that has brought him back into the spotlight.

Back in January 2015, James, aged 26 and residing on Highcliffe Road in Grantham, pleaded guilty to two counts of not informing police about changes in his personal details as required by law. Specifically, he admitted to neglecting to notify authorities that he was using different aliases on popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. Although he had previously informed police that he had legally changed his name from Stephen James Curran via deed poll, he did not disclose that he was operating under the aliases Luca James on Facebook and Twitter, and Luca James Sparks on Flickr.

Prosecutor Tracey Ross clarified that James did notify the police about his name change, but failed to mention his social media aliases, which is a breach of the notification obligations. The case revealed that James had been using these aliases at the time of his initial conviction on May 4, 2010, when he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for sexual offenses involving a minor. Following his release, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register, but his failure to disclose his social media activity has now led to further legal scrutiny.

During the proceedings, James’s defense attorney, Stuart Wild, argued that the social media accounts in question had existed since before his client’s conviction and that no criminal activity had been linked to these accounts. Wild also pointed out that police had seized computers belonging to James and his family in August 2012, but these were not returned for over a year, which may have contributed to the oversight.

The magistrates decided to adjourn the case until January 26, allowing time for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. James remains on unconditional bail as the legal process continues.

In a related but separate incident from May 2010, Stephen Curran, also of Highcliffe Road, Grantham, was convicted of targeting a young girl on social networking site Bebo. Curran, then 21, had pursued a 13-year-old girl for sexual purposes through explicit messages. His actions came to light after the girl’s mother discovered the inappropriate texts, leading to police intervention.

Investigations revealed that Curran had downloaded 11 child pornography videos onto his computer. Authorities seized his device and found evidence of his criminal activity, including charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of children, and possessing such images. Curran admitted to these charges and was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years, reflecting the severity of his offenses and the ongoing concern for public safety in Grantham.