STEVEN SAYLES FROM SHEFFIELD JAILED FOR BREACHING SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER
In a recent development at Sheffield Crown Court, Steven Sayles, a man with a troubling past, was sentenced to nine months in prison after admitting to multiple violations of a sexual harm prevention order.This order was originally imposed following his 2010 conviction for a series of serious sex offences, which resulted in an eight-year prison sentence.
The order was designed to safeguard the public by restricting Sayles's activities, including prohibitions against living with minors under 18 and possessing recording devices without police disclosure.
Prosecutor Katherine Goddard emphasized the gravity of the case, noting that the breaches involved the illegal taking of footage related to a rape.
She explained that the Crown had specifically requested the order to prevent Sayles from possessing any camera devices, highlighting the importance of this restriction in light of his past crimes.
Goddard detailed how Sayles’s violations occurred after he was released from prison in 2013.
Following his release, he entered into a new relationship with a woman from Sheffield, with whom he later moved in 2015.
At that time, Sayles resided with the woman and her two children, a teenage girl aged between 15 and 16, and a younger boy.
Despite these significant life changes, Sayles failed to inform the police about his new address or his cohabitation with the woman and her children, breaching the conditions of his order.
Further breaches included his absence from the family home for over a week while on holiday with the woman and her children, without notifying authorities.
Additionally, he did not disclose to the police that he owned a mobile phone equipped with a camera, which was another violation of the restrictions placed upon him.
During the court proceedings, Ms.
Goddard clarified that there was no evidence to suggest Sayles had repeated any of the specific behaviors that led to his original conviction seven years ago.
Despite his silence during police interviews, Sayles chose to plead guilty to the breaches when his trial was scheduled to commence.
At sentencing, Recorder Tim Elliott QC addressed Sayles directly, stating, “You knew full well you had a duty to comply with the requirements, and you breached them.
And for two years you told lies which could have had an effect on people.” The judge emphasized the seriousness of his violations and the importance of adhering to court orders meant to protect vulnerable individuals from harm.
