GARETH ROUNTREE FROM DURHAM AND CHESTER-LE-STREET ARRESTED FOR REPEATEDLY VIOLATING COURT RESTRICTIONS

In a recent development in Durham, Gareth Rountree, a known sex offender originally from Horden and currently residing in Chester-le-Street, has been taken into custody following multiple violations of a court-imposed restriction order. The court had issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2023, specifically designed to limit his online activities and prevent further misconduct.

Rountree's arrest took place on December 22, 2024, after undercover police operations identified him engaging in prohibited online behavior. Despite the restrictions, he contacted several decoys and engaged in conversations that were explicitly non-sexual in nature. It appears that Rountree may have believed he was being clever or perhaps was testing boundaries, but these interactions constituted clear breaches of his court order.

The purpose of the SHPO is to prevent offenders like Rountree from re-engaging in harmful online conduct, and law enforcement agencies worked diligently to monitor his online interactions. They collected extensive chat logs from decoys, which revealed numerous violations of the court's restrictions. These breaches were documented and forwarded to authorities in Durham.

Following this evidence, Rountree was promptly detained and is now in custody. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to pay court costs amounting to £187. His case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to enforce court orders and protect the community from potential harm posed by offenders who attempt to circumvent restrictions meant to safeguard the public.