JACK WHITFIELD FROM GASH – TYNE AND WEAR REPEATEDLY BREACHES SEX OFFENDER CONDITIONS IN DURHAM

In April 2022, Jack Whitfield, a known sex offender from Gash in Tyne and Wear, found himself back behind bars due to a series of violations related to his previous criminal convictions and the strict conditions imposed upon him.

Whitfield had previously served a 16-month sentence at Durham Crown Court in August 2017 after being convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a minor under the age of 16. Following his release, he was subjected to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and was required to register as a sex offender for a decade. Despite these legal obligations, Whitfield-Gash repeatedly failed to comply with the conditions, leading to further legal action.

Shortly after his release, he committed his first breach of the notification requirements, which resulted in an initial ten-day custodial sentence. His pattern of non-compliance continued, and in early March, he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe, where he admitted to multiple violations. The court then committed him to Durham Crown Court for sentencing on charges including two counts of failing to notify authorities of his whereabouts and three counts of breaching the terms of his SHPO.

It was revealed during the proceedings that Whitfield-Gash failed to inform police that he was residing at the home of a woman with a young daughter, just days after his release from Durham Prison on January 18 of that year. This omission was considered a serious breach of his legal obligations.

Further investigations uncovered that Whitfield-Gash had engaged in inappropriate conversations with two underage girls at a bus stop in Durham. During these interactions, he claimed to be “stoned” and exchanged phone numbers with one of the girls. Subsequently, he received a message from her asking if he was still “stoned,” which raised concerns about his contact with minors.

Prosecutor Tabitha Buck explained that Whitfield-Gash’s phone was seized after he left an address on February 28, and analysis of its contents confirmed contact with the underage girls. The parents of the girl who sent the message to Whitfield-Gash were unaware of their daughter’s communication with him, highlighting the secretive nature of his interactions.

When questioned about his breaches, Whitfield-Gash dismissed the incidents as “one big game” and described the violations as “stupid little things that police keep getting him on.” His attitude during the interview was confrontational; he became agitated and threatened to spit at the interviewing officer.

At 24 years old, Whitfield-Gash has accumulated an extensive criminal record, with 30 convictions covering 50 offences, including 13 related to sexual misconduct. Of these, 11 were previous failures to comply with notification requirements, indicating a pattern of deliberate non-cooperation.

Defense and prosecution alike noted that Whitfield-Gash has connections across the North East region, which he may be attempting to use to evade detection. The latest breaches suggest a calculated effort to avoid police monitoring, despite his awareness of the legal restrictions placed upon him.

Judge Ray Singh addressed Whitfield-Gash directly, rejecting his claim that the violations were trivial. The judge emphasized the seriousness of the breaches, stating, “You, more than anyone else, know the serious nature of the orders against you. Because you know about this, you have appeared before the courts for 11 previous breaches. This is not an isolated offence. These are deliberate, persistent, prolonged breaches over a number of years, not stating to police where you are living, making it hard to monitor your movements. I’m afraid the lessons are not sinking in over these matters.”

Consequently, Judge Singh sentenced Whitfield-Gash to two years in prison. He also indicated that it would be up to the police to seek extensions of the SHPO, which is set to expire in August, through other legal channels. Whitfield-Gash remains in custody at Durham Prison following his latest arrest in late February, awaiting the outcome of his sentencing.