EDWARD HUNT'S SHOCKING CRIMES IN WOLVERHAMPTON: BLACK COUNTRY CANAL BOAT RIDE SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Wolverhampton, Edward Hunt, a man with a troubling criminal history, was found to have taken schoolchildren on canal boat trips in the Black Country, despite being a convicted sex offender subject to strict legal restrictions.

Hunt, aged 68, had been volunteering with the Dudley Canal Trust for a period of three years before authorities uncovered his inappropriate activities. The court was informed that Hunt had previously served time in prison for offences involving children and had also been cautioned for possessing indecent images of minors.

Despite these serious convictions, the Dudley Canal Trust admitted that they had allowed Hunt to participate in their activities without conducting thorough background checks to verify his criminal record. This lapse in protocol enabled Hunt to engage in activities that should have been off-limits to him under the terms of his Sex Offender Prevention Order.

Part of Hunt’s volunteer role involved taking groups of schoolchildren on canal boat rides across the Black Country. The court heard that while Hunt was not left alone with the children—who were always accompanied by teachers—his participation in these trips still constituted a breach of his legal restrictions. Prosecutor Mr. Geoffrey Dann explained, “He was not left alone with the children who had a teacher with them but that action was a breach of the Sex Offender Prevention Order he was subject to.”

Hunt’s criminal record includes a nine-month prison sentence in 1994 for an offence involving children, and a subsequent 15-month sentence in 1999 for an offence under the Child Abduction Act. Additionally, he has been cautioned for possession of an indecent image of a child, further highlighting his history of offending behavior.

His arrest in September of the previous year was prompted by the intervention of the Sex Offender Management team, which had recently taken over his case. They discovered that Hunt was still in contact with children while volunteering with the Dudley Canal Trust, raising serious concerns about his compliance with legal restrictions.

During the hearing, Hunt’s solicitor, Mr. David Bratt, argued that Hunt had not concealed his activities. He pointed out that the previous offender manager had been informed of Hunt’s employment and could have verified the nature of his role. He also emphasized that all school trips involved responsible teachers, and Hunt was not left unsupervised with the children.

Hunt, who resides on Mickley Avenue in Park Village, pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of his Sex Offender Prevention Order. In response, Judge John Warner sentenced him to a three-year community order and imposed a 24-week electronically monitored night-time curfew at his home.

Judge Warner issued a stern warning to Hunt, stating, “You could be jailed for up to 10 years but I draw back from sending you away. This is not to be merciful to you but I regard it as the best way of achieving protection for the public by ensuring you are under the supervision of probation officers for sufficient time to complete the sex offender management programme.”

He also cautioned Hunt that any future violations would result in a return to prison, emphasizing the importance of strict compliance with the conditions set forth. The case underscores the ongoing challenges in monitoring convicted sex offenders and the critical need for organizations to rigorously check the backgrounds of volunteers working with vulnerable groups in Wolverhampton and beyond.