GERRY OLIVIER

ELDERLY SUNDERLAND MAN AVOIDS JAIL AFTER BREACHING SEX ORDER BY HIDING SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

An elderly Sunderland pervert has avoided jail after breaching a sex order by having Facebook and Instagram accounts and failing to notify police.

Gerry Olivier, aged 77, was previously sentenced and given a suspended prison term along with a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after being convicted of arranging or facilitating a child sexual offence.

As part of his SHPO, he was forbidden from creating online social media accounts without informing police within three days of each creation.

However, months after his sentencing, Olivier breached this order when police discovered he had social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Olivier, residing on Grange Street South, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via a link from HMP Durham, pleading guilty to breaching the SHPO.

Prosecutor Nicoleta Alistari reported police visited his address on March 4 this year, found his Samsung phone with social media accounts, and confirmed he had not notified police.

Olivier admitted creating the accounts but claimed they were already on his phone and that he had forgotten the terms of his order, describing his attitude as having 'buried his head in the sand.' The court also heard that Olivier has three previous convictions for different offences.

His defence lawyer mentioned that Olivier was in very poor health, diagnosed with cancer, and upon release, was likely to live in a secure care facility arranged by Durham County Council and mental health services.

Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced him to eight months in prison, suspended for 18 months, with his existing SHPO and previous suspended sentence remaining in place.