JAMES HARBERTSON OF NORTHUMBRIA SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE ABUSE

A man with a long and troubling history of child sex offences has been sentenced to additional imprisonment after engaging in disturbing online communications with a minor. James Harbertson, aged 34 and known to have a significant criminal record, was found guilty of sending highly inappropriate and offensive messages to a 15-year-old girl, which he described as 'abhorrent'.

Harbertson’s criminal history is extensive, with his previous conviction involving a nine-year prison sentence for sexually abusing a child. His latest offences came to light in 2022 when he attempted to solicit sexual acts from underage girls via social media platforms. During this period, he used the online pseudonym 'GeordieBoyJames' in an effort to lure young girls into performing sexual acts online, according to evidence presented at Newcastle Crown Court.

Following his arrest, Harbertson was sentenced to 32 months in prison for offences committed against four girls aged 14 and 15. The police investigation uncovered a series of Snapchat messages sent to a 15-year-old girl, which directly led to his return to court. These messages, found on a mobile device, demonstrated his continued predatory behaviour and breach of previous court orders.

Harbertson, who does not have a fixed address, admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor and violating a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) that had been imposed in June 2013. As a result, he received an additional four months behind bars. The judge, Tim Gittins, described Harbertson as a 'dangerous' offender, highlighting his disturbing pattern of behaviour involving children.

His criminal activities date back to 2012 when he was given a community order after being found in possession of indecent images of children. The following year, his behaviour escalated, and he was sentenced to nine years in prison for multiple counts of child sexual abuse. During that period, he was also subjected to a SOPO that prohibited any contact with children under 16 and mandated the logging and monitoring of his internet activity.

In 2022, authorities seized multiple phones from Harbertson and discovered he had been messaging several underage girls on Snapchat between April and August, which was a clear violation of his SOPO. Further investigation revealed that he had deleted numerous messages, another breach of his court restrictions. This led to his additional 32-month sentence.

While serving time at HMP Durham, police uncovered a further illegal chat from June 2022, in which Harbertson expressed a desire to perform sexual acts on a 15-year-old girl. Although the identity of the girl was not disclosed, Judge Gittins described the conversation as 'abhorrent' and emphasized that the girl could have been a very vulnerable young individual. The judge condemned Harbertson’s actions, underscoring the ongoing danger he poses to children and the seriousness of his repeated breaches of the law.