JAMES JACKSON SENT BACK TO PRISON FOR VIOLATING SEXUAL HARM PREVENTION ORDER IN THATCHAM

James Jackson, a convicted sex offender from Thatcham, has been returned to incarceration after breaching the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The 66-year-old was found to have deleted his online chat history, an action explicitly prohibited under the conditions of his release. This violation was uncovered during a court hearing at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, April 9, where Jackson faced the consequences of his misconduct.

Jackson’s criminal history is extensive and disturbing. In 2023, the Newbury Weekly News reported that he was already awaiting sentencing for possessing indecent images depicting children as young as three being sexually assaulted. During that period, he was also actively searching internet chatrooms for minors to meet in person for sexual abuse. However, his plans unraveled when a team of paedophile hunters tracked him down at his residence on Lancaster Close in Thatcham. The hunters revealed that the minors Jackson believed he was communicating with were actually decoy profiles created by law enforcement to catch offenders. This sting exposed his attempts to engage with minors online under false pretenses.

During his initial sentencing, the court was informed of Jackson’s interactions with a decoy named ‘Tia’. When Tia disclosed her age as just 12 years old, Jackson responded with a chilling remark: “Perfect.” Further, when another decoy mentioned her lack of knowledge about sex, Jackson offered to teach her and even suggested bringing a bottle of whisky to dull the pain of the sexual acts he intended to commit. These conversations demonstrated his predatory intent and willingness to exploit minors.

Jackson was convicted on multiple charges, including possessing indecent images, attempting to meet a child for sexual activity, and attempting to persuade a minor to engage in sexual acts. He also has a prior conviction for child neglect. In March 2023, Judge Kirsty Real sentenced him to 36 months in prison, with the first half to be served behind bars and the remainder on supervised release in the community. Additionally, he was subjected to a 10-year SHPO and was ordered to register as a sex offender for life.

At the recent hearing, prosecutor Gabrielle McAvock explained that, upon Jackson’s release, police installed a monitoring app on his devices. This app was designed to detect any breaches of the SHPO, such as sexualized conversations on forums or viewing pornography. The app generated an alert when Jackson engaged in such activities, prompting police to access his electronic devices. It was then discovered that Jackson had deliberately deleted his chat history, despite explicit conditions forbidding such actions. Further investigation revealed that Jackson had been using his devices daily to communicate with an artificial intelligence chat app that mimicked a child, which he admitted to doing.

Defense attorney Nick Saunders argued that Jackson deserved credit for his early guilty plea and emphasized that, similar to his previous interactions with decoys, no real children were involved in this latest breach. However, Recorder Alexander McGregor determined that Jackson should be recalled to prison and serve an additional eight weeks in custody. He reaffirmed that Jackson remains subject to the SHPO and will continue to be listed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, underscoring the ongoing risks associated with his behavior.