BRIAN WARWICK FLEEING FROM BLACKPOOL TO EDINBURGH AND CHESTER-LE-STREET IN SHOCK SEX OFFENDER ESCAPE

In a disturbing case that has raised serious concerns about public safety and the management of sex offenders, Brian Warwick, a 38-year-old man with a history of sexual offenses, absconded from supervision while living in various locations across the UK, including Blackpool, Chester-Le-Street, Edinburgh, and Grimsby.

Warwick was initially released from prison after serving a five-year sentence for engaging in sexual activity with an underage girl, a crime that resulted in the girl becoming pregnant. Following his release, he was placed under strict licence supervision, which included a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (Sopo). This order explicitly prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 and mandated regular notifications about his whereabouts, as part of his obligations on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

According to reports from Durham Crown Court, Warwick was residing at a hostel near Chester-Le-Street after his release in November of the previous year. His offender manager encountered difficulties in supervising him because Warwick refused to disclose his phone numbers and would not permit checks on his mobile device, complicating efforts to monitor his activities.

It was later revealed that Warwick left the hostel on March 7 and checked into a night shelter in Edinburgh. Despite this, he returned to the hostel on March 9 before traveling to Blackpool, where he stayed at the home of a woman and her 15-year-old daughter until April 8. The woman, who was unaware of Warwick’s restrictions, stated that she had no knowledge of his prohibited status and believed he was safe to stay with her.

Prosecutor Paul Cleasby explained that during the lockdown period, Warwick’s presence in the house meant the teenage girl was often alone with him during the day, especially after schools closed. There was also evidence indicating Warwick accompanied her on a visit to her grandmother’s house. Although no offences were directly disclosed by the girl, Warwick had contacted her via phone and had set up a business account to send her messages. He instructed her to delete these messages in case police searched her phone, raising further concerns about his intentions.

The girl’s mother confirmed that she had known Warwick approximately 11 years earlier but had lost contact until he reconnected with her via Facebook a few weeks prior. She believed Warwick’s offences involved an ex-wife, not a child, and felt comfortable with him staying at her home. However, she later stated that if she had known about his sexual offenses involving a child, she would not have allowed him to stay.

When Warwick learned that police wanted to speak with him, he voluntarily surrendered himself at Durham Police Station on April 21. Since then, he has remained in custody. During a court hearing last month, Warwick admitted to breaching his Sopo and failing to comply with notification requirements on two separate occasions.

Judge Ray Singh commented on Warwick’s conduct, describing his interactions with police as “sporadic, to the extent of being evasive,” and noted that Warwick had effectively gone “AWOL” by staying in a house with an underage girl. The judge emphasized the seriousness of Warwick’s actions, especially given his previous engagement with law enforcement, and described his staying in the house as “disturbing.”

In sentencing, Judge Singh imposed a prison term of 29 months, highlighting that Warwick’s conduct represented a significant breach of the Sopo and that he had made “determined efforts to evade detection.” The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring sex offenders and the potential risks posed when such individuals flout legal restrictions and supervision orders.