TREVOR LACEY'S DERBY CRIMINAL RECORD: SEX OFFENDER AVOIDS JAIL WITH SUSPENDED SENTENCE IN DERBY

In a recent court hearing held at Derby Crown Court, Trevor Lacey, a man with a troubling criminal history, appeared before the judiciary to face charges related to his failure to comply with legal obligations as a registered sex offender. The case sheds light on the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring individuals with past convictions, especially those who are homeless or otherwise difficult to locate.

Trevor Lacey, aged 55 and known to have no fixed address, was previously convicted of sexual assault on a 16-year-old girl at a bus stop in Derby in 2010. The jury found him guilty of the offense, and he was subsequently sentenced to ten months in prison. However, the issues did not end there. Upon his release, Lacey refused to sign the necessary paperwork to register his details with the authorities, a legal requirement for sex offenders under the law.

Prosecutor Karen Davenport-Coles explained that police officers attempted to locate Lacey at his known address, but initially failed. “Police went to his address but couldn’t trace him, so they went to various addresses and eventually found him,” she stated. Following this, Lacey was given a strict 48-hour deadline to present himself at a police station, but he failed to do so. As a result, he was sentenced to an additional 12 weeks in prison for non-compliance.

After serving this sentence, Lacey was released on December 23, 2011. At that time, he provided an address at the Ascot Hotel on Osmaston Road in Derby. However, it was later discovered that he was not residing there, and he once again failed to register his current address with the authorities, which is a legal obligation for individuals on the sex offenders’ register.

During the court proceedings, Lacey admitted to failing to comply with the notification requirements but maintained that he was homeless since 2010, which he claimed made it difficult to register a fixed address. His defense argued that this homelessness contributed to his inability to fulfill registration duties, and his legal team requested leniency.

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Barkla acknowledged the seriousness of Lacey’s repeated non-compliance but ultimately decided to impose a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. This means that Lacey will not serve time immediately unless he commits another offense within the suspension period. The court’s decision reflects the ongoing concern over the management and monitoring of sex offenders, particularly those with unstable living situations.