A sex offender who narrowly avoided jail time after falling for a police sting last summer has now been detained following a repeat offence.
Durham Crown Court was informed that he was actively communicating with a minor online, offering money in exchange for indecent images and other favors to silence her.
The individual, Christopher John Peart, believed he was speaking to a 14-year-old girl but was actually interacting with a decoy profile created by the Child Online Safety Team.
Originally, he received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, along with a requirement to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions supervised by the Probation Service.
He was also subject to internet use restrictions under a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
However, Peart, 34, of Rose Terrace, Middleton-in-Teesdale, violated the conditions of his order.
He failed to mention possessing a tablet device during a visit from his sex offender manager in December, and this device was later discovered hidden beneath drawers in his bedroom during a police search.
The investigation showed that he accessed two chat platforms believing he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl using sexualized language, but he was actually in contact with an undercover police decoy.
Upon arrest, Peart initially denied having the tablet but later confessed to trying to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching his restraining order.
The court was told that Peart admitted guilt to all charges.
Judge James Adkin sentenced him to 29 months in prison and ordered the tablet to be confiscated and destroyed, highlighting that his breach demonstrated explicit sexual conduct despite the earlier suspended sentence.
Court Outcome
Conviction and Sentencing Details
Sentenced
Detected legal outcome
ild and breaching his restraining order. The court was told that Peart admitted guilt to all charges. Judge James Adkin sentenced him to 29 months in prison and ordered the tablet to be confiscated and destroyed, highlighting that his br...
Suspended sentence
two years
Originally, he received a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years, along with a requirement to attend 30 rehabilitation sessions supervised by the Probation Service
Court order
He was also subject to internet use restrictions under a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO)
Court order
Upon arrest, Peart initially denied having the tablet but later confessed to trying to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching his restraining order
Prison sentence
29 months
Judge James Adkin sentenced him to 29 months in prison and ordered the tablet to be confiscated and destroyed, highlighting that his breach demonstrated explicit sexual conduct despite the earlier suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
29 months
Judge James Adkin sentenced him to 29 months in prison and ordered the tablet to be confiscated and destroyed, highlighting that his breach demonstrated explicit sexual conduct despite the earlier suspended sentence
