Man admits breaching sexual offences prevention order

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A 30-year-old man who was only allowed conditional use of the internet under the terms of a sexual offences prevention order was found to have set up a profile on a social networking site.

Blackburn magistrates heard Edward Robert Dearing accessed the Badoo site on a mobile phone the day after a visit by police to check he was not breaching the order.

Dearing, of Lower Read Wood Farm, Read, Burnley, pleaded guilty to breach of a SOPO. He was sent on bail to Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Dearing had a history of sexual offences which had resulted in the SOPO.

“He is prohibited from using any device that enables him to access the internet unless it displays that access,” said Mr Harrison. “He is also prohibited from accessing social networking sites.”

Mr Harrison said officers had visited Dearing unannounced and it was established he had bought a new mobile phone. It was checked and there was no internet history on the device.

Shortly after police received information that he had been accessing social media sites.

When he was interviewed by police Dearing accepted setting up a Badoo profile, but claimed he had deleted it after a few hours.

Damian Pickup, defending, said his client accepted accessing the adult dating site.

“When I asked him why he said he was lonely and wanted to chat on a social basis with other adults.

“His previous convictions relate to children, but this was an adult site where you have to be 18 or over. He set up the profile, but did not send or receive any messages before he realised what he was doing and deleted it.

“He handed the phone to his father and asked him to take it off him,” said Mr Pickup. “He recognised his wrong doing before the police became involved.”