FORMER LIFESAVING CLUB CHAIR WITH AN "ENTRENCHED" SEXUAL INTEREST IN CHILDREN HAS BEEN JAILED AFTER ONCE AGAIN BREACHING A SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER
Graham Acheson, aged 69, former chair of the St Agnes Surf Lifesaving Club, appeared before Truro Crown Court for sentencing on April 9 after admitting to two violations of a protection order aimed at safeguarding children from harm.He had previously entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.
The prosecution outlined that Acheson violated the order by using an internet-connected smart television that could not keep or display a complete history of internet activity, which was a necessary condition of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
He also confessed to viewing moving images of children who were either naked or partially clothed, including some in underwear, access that was strictly forbidden under the order.
The court was informed that Acheson has been under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order since 2011, following convictions involving 17 counts of creating indecent images of children and two counts of possessing such images.
The order was modified in 2021, and despite police officers managing him in the community reminding him of its conditions several times, Acheson has repeatedly breached it, resulting in several prison terms.
Prosecutors stated that police learned Acheson owned a smart television during a March 2022 visit.
On a subsequent visit earlier this year, authorities examined his devices and asked if he still watched videos on YouTube.
Acheson said he did not use the platform on his phone but watched videos on his TV, believing the court order no longer applied to him.
When asked to turn on the TV, he appeared anxious and started shaking.
Even though no user account was active, the YouTube app showed a list of recently viewed videos, one of which included content related to a boy in swimwear.
Police arrested Acheson on the spot.
During police interviews, he declined to answer questions, offering “no comment,” but later signed statements indicating he thought the order had ended after his previous incarceration.
Defense mitigation highlighted Acheson’s early guilty plea, his age, and the impact of custody, pointing out his weight loss while in remand.
It was also noted that he would lose his home and belongings, as he lacked funds to store them, as he did previously.
Additionally, the court was told he planned to disconnect his Wi-Fi upon release to prevent further breaches.
Passing sentence, the judge rejected Acheson’s explanation that he believed watching such material on a television was acceptable.
The judge said Acheson had an “entrenched interest in children, particularly young boys”, and that his actions represented one of the most serious forms of breach, given his past offending and the nature of the images viewed.
Despite taking account of his age and guilty plea, the judge said previous attempts at rehabilitation had failed and that Acheson continued to pose a serious risk.
Acheson was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
