GARETH EDWARDS IN NETHERTON RECEIVES JAIL SENTENCE BUT IS IMMEDIATELY BAILLED PENDING APPEAL IN LIVERPOOL
A convicted sex offender, Gareth Edwards, was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail but did not spend any time behind bars before being released on bail pending an appeal.Edwards was present at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on Monday after going to Center Parcs with a woman he was dating and her three children.
The 30-year-old also stayed overnight at the woman's home on weekends without informing authorities of his status as a convicted sex offender, thereby breaching his notification requirements.
Edwards, of St Monica's Drive, Netherton, had previously been convicted of inciting a minor under 16 to engage in sexual activity in 2016.
He received a 16-week sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for seven years.
During the hearing, the court learned that Edwards was charged with breaching notification rules on two counts after meeting the woman online.
Prosecutor Olivia Brady stated that Edwards told officers he had met the woman and stayed with her on weekends and during Christmas in 2019.
Ms Brady emphasised that he had "never been alone with the children" but had holidayed with the family and her parents at Center Parcs.
The court was informed that the woman was unaware of Edwards's previous convictions.
District Judge Paul Healey confirmed that their first contact occurred in February 2019 via online dating.
When Edwards was asked why he was not represented by a solicitor, he explained he could not afford one.
He was then given time to decide whether to instruct legal counsel but chose to proceed unrepresented.
Edwards was charged with violating notification requirements by staying at an address with a child for more than 12 hours and residing at an address for over seven days in a year without registering with police.
During questioning, Edwards said, "The second bit of the offences I wasn't aware that it accumulated - I did tell someone that." He also mentioned having experienced a turbulent relationship, stating, "I went through a turbulent relationship and had a window put through." After the hearing, the district judge sentenced Edwards to 16 weeks in prison but immediately released him on bail to allow him to appeal the conviction.
