SEX OFFENDER MUST PAY COURT COSTS FROM HIS BENEFITS AFTER POLICE CATCH HIM OUT
A sex offender has dodged jail after he set up a new social media account without telling the police.Jay Grocott had been on the sex offenders register for 14 years.
A sex offender has dodged jail after he set up a new social media account without telling the police.
Jay Grocott had been on the sex offenders register for 14 years.
As a result, he was required to tell police of any new accounts within three days.
But North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard the 37-year-old, of Butlet Street, Stoke, set up a new email and account on X.
After being arrested for a separate offence, officers discovered a Gmail account and the X profile which they had not been told about.
Grocott then answered ‘no comment’ during the interview.
Helen Shipley, prosecuting, said: “Police had arrested the defendant for another offence, but as part of that investigation they seized his mobile phone, and they discovered an email address being used to sign in on a Google mail account and a social media site, X, was signed into using the different email address.
This is the first time since the order was imposed in 2011 that he’s been before the court in breach of the order.” Grocott pleaded guilty to the breach.
Lee Yates, mitigating, said: “This gentleman used his full name in those user accounts and because of the nature of the restrictions, he is subject to police visits who regularly attend and look into his accounts.
Had they checked properly they would've discovered those email addresses.
“There’s no suggestion he was doing anything he shouldn't with those email accounts, simply his previous one stopped working so he set up another and didn’t tell police.
He has to have an individual internet service provider to which that account is linked, so any wrongdoing would've come straight back on him.” Grocott was sentenced to a 12-month community order whereby he must take part in 12 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 60 hours of unpaid work.
A total of £199 costs will be deducted from his benefits.
Magistrate Ian Jones told him: “You pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and we reflect that in our sentencing.
You know full well what requirements are.
You know what you’re supposed to do and the consequences can be quite severe.
There’s a good chance of rehabilitation in this case.” [Article continues below]
