ANTHONY RILEY FROM HARRISEAHEAD AND LEEK FAILS TO DISCLOSE CHILD LIVING IN HIS HOME

In September 2016, Anthony Riley, a man with a troubling criminal history, found himself back in the spotlight due to a breach of his legal obligations concerning his status as a registered sex offender. Riley, aged 53 and residing at Davenport Court, Salisbury Street, Leek, had previously been convicted of serious offenses related to child exploitation. His past convictions include making indecent photographs of children, possessing indecent images, and viewing extreme pornographic material involving minors, which he was convicted of in 2012.

Following his 2012 conviction, Riley was subjected to a three-year community order and was required to register as a sex offender for a period of five years. Despite these strict conditions, he failed to adhere to one of the key notification requirements. Specifically, he did not inform the police within three days if he stayed at an address for at least 12 hours where a child under the age of 18 was present. This omission came to light when Riley was found to have been living in a house where a young child was also staying, without notifying the authorities as mandated.

The breach was brought before North Staffordshire Justice Centre, where Riley faced sentencing. It was revealed during the hearing that Riley had not disclosed his previous convictions to anyone prior to this incident. The court was informed that Riley had stayed at a residence where a young child was also present at the time, raising concerns about his compliance with the conditions of his sex offender registration.

Riley admitted to failing in his duty to notify the police about the child's presence. Angela Trafford, representing Riley, explained that her client accepted he had not informed the authorities about the child's stay and also failed to notify the child's family. She emphasized that this was Riley's first breach of this nature, and clarified that his previous breach was of a different kind. Trafford also stated that Riley insisted there was no intent to deceive and that there was no evidence to suggest that the child had been harmed during this incident.

Despite Riley's explanations, Deputy District Judge Martin Jackson sentenced him to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, Riley was ordered to complete a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement. The judge expressed concern over Riley's conduct, noting an element of deceit in his actions. He pointed out that Riley's previous convictions had been kept from the child's family, who were entirely unaware of Riley's background. The fact that Riley was present in a flat where a four-year-old child stayed overnight was particularly troubling.

As part of his sentence, Riley was also ordered to pay costs amounting to £135 and an £80 surcharge.

Looking back to June 2012, Riley's criminal record includes a conviction for possessing and making indecent images of children. At that time, he was 48 years old and residing in Harriseahead, specifically on Moorview Gardens. He initially faced 17 charges related to child sexual abuse images but pleaded guilty to seven of them following a plea bargain. These charges included making indecent images of children between March 1, 2004, and January 29, 2011, as well as possessing such images on January 29, 2011. He also admitted to possessing an extreme pornographic image on the same date. The images were discovered on his computer, prompting the case to be adjourned for sentencing after a pre-sentence report was prepared by the court.

Throughout these proceedings, Riley's criminal history underscores a pattern of concerning behavior involving minors and explicit material, raising ongoing concerns about his compliance with legal restrictions and the safety of children in his vicinity.