DAMIEN MINETT REPEATEDLY BREACHES SEX OFFENDER RULES IN SKEGNESS, SENT BACK TO JAIL

In a troubling series of violations, Damien Minett, a convicted sex offender from Skegness, has once again found himself behind bars after breaching the strict conditions of his lifetime sex offenders registration order. The breach involved him living in the same residence as a 16-year-old girl, an act that directly contravened the legal restrictions imposed upon him.

Lincoln Crown Court heard that this was not Minett's first violation of the order. Since his release from prison in 2005, following a sentence handed down at Nottingham Crown Court for the rape of a boy under the age of 13, Minett, now 29, had repeatedly flouted the rules. His latest breach marked the seventh time he had failed to comply with the conditions of his sex offender registration, which explicitly forbids him from residing in a property with any individual under 18 without prior approval.

During the hearing, Judge Simon Hirst addressed Minett directly, emphasizing the gravity of his repeated violations. He stated, “This is your seventh breach of this order. You take the view that you can do whatever you like and this order does not mean a thing. At some point, you might wake up and realize it does mean something.” The judge made it clear that the only appropriate sentence was immediate custody, warning Minett that any future breaches would result in increasingly severe penalties.

Prosecutor Jeremy Janes revealed that the breach was uncovered earlier this year when police officers interviewed a 16-year-old girl regarding an allegation. It was during this investigation that authorities discovered Minett was living with her in Skegness, a fact he had failed to disclose to his risk officer. This omission was a direct violation of the rules governing sex offenders, which require individuals like Minett to inform authorities within three days if they share a residence with someone under 18.

Further details emerged in May, when it was confirmed that Minett had been living with the girl and her mother on eight separate occasions. Prosecutor Jim Clare explained that Minett, who had previously served time for three counts of raping a male child under 13, had been informed multiple times of his obligations under the law. Despite this, he admitted to failing to notify his risk officer about his living arrangements, which included sharing a home with a minor.

On April 12, police observed Minett at his residence in Swallowfields Court, where the 16-year-old girl had listed her address. It was also noted that Minett had attended the police station as her 'appropriate adult.' The investigation revealed that Minett had been living with the girl since March 20, and he acknowledged this during a meeting with his risk officer. This pattern of non-compliance led to Minett accumulating eight convictions for breaching notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act, with the most recent resulting in a ten-month prison sentence.

Due to the magistrates' limited sentencing powers, Minett was granted unconditional bail and remanded to Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing at a later date. The case underscores the ongoing challenges authorities face in monitoring and enforcing the conditions placed on convicted sex offenders, especially those with a history of repeated violations like Minett in Skegness.