WILLIAM KIRKBRIDE FROM CUMBRIA REARRESTED FOR FAILING TO REPORT DATING APP USAGE
William Kirkbride, a registered sex offender residing in Whitehaven, Cumbria, has once again appeared before the courts following allegations that he failed to notify authorities about his recent use of an online dating application.This breach of his legal obligations comes despite his previous conviction and ongoing supervision under a sex offender management scheme.
Under the terms of his 10-year sex offender notification requirement, Kirkbride is mandated to inform police within three days of any change or addition to his aliases or online usernames.
Failure to do so constitutes a serious violation of the conditions set forth to monitor and manage his risk to the community.
In June 2022, Kirkbride was sentenced to 21 months in prison after being convicted of facilitating a child sex offence.
Following his release on licence on August 10 of the previous year, he was subject to strict supervision and monitoring.
However, between August 28 and September 11, he engaged with the gay dating platform Grindr, a fact that came to light during police investigations.
Despite this, he did not notify the authorities about his activity on the app, which is a clear breach of his legal obligations.
The case was brought before Workington Magistrates’ Court, where prosecutor Pamela Fee outlined the details.
She explained that police officers, upon examining Kirkbride’s mobile phone, identified his use of Grindr.
When questioned, Kirkbride admitted to using the app and acknowledged that he had not disclosed his username to his offender manager.
Ms Fee emphasized that this omission was a deliberate failure to comply with the statutory notification requirements.
William Kirkbride, who resides on Queen Street in Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to adhere to the sex offenders’ register notification rules.
His defence lawyer, John Cooper, clarified that upon his release, Kirkbride was permitted to use such applications, provided he disclosed all relevant details to the police.
Cooper stated, “He has been in communication with a probation officer and has confirmed he was using the app.
There has been no attempt to conceal this activity.
Monitoring software installed on his phone would have detected any such use.” Despite the breach, the court decided not to recall Kirkbride to prison.
Instead, he remains on licence until October 9 of this year.
Magistrates imposed a nine-week curfew, requiring him to stay at his residence from 6pm to 6am daily.
Additionally, Kirkbride was ordered to pay costs amounting to £85 and a victim surcharge of £114.
The court acknowledged his cooperation and noted that he has been engaging with various support agencies, including a general practitioner, mental health services, and Citizens Advice, which is assisting with the sale of his property in Whitehaven.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges in monitoring sex offenders and ensuring compliance with legal restrictions designed to protect the community in Cumbria.
