JOHN SUTHERLAND FROM ELLESMERE PORT CAUGHT BREACHING SHPO USING SOFTWARE TO HIDE PORNOGRAPHY VIEWING
In January 2021, authorities in Ellesmere Port took action against John Richard Sutherland, a 68-year-old resident of Charter Crescent, Great Sutton, for violating the terms of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).Sutherland had previously been subjected to the SHPO in March 2016 due to charges related to indecent images and voyeurism.
The order was set to expire in less than six months at the time of the recent breach.
However, in October 2020, Sutherland was found to have deliberately used the DuckDuckGo search engine, which is known for its privacy features, to browse the internet.
This software effectively deleted his browsing history, making it impossible for police to monitor his online activity.
The breach came to light when authorities discovered that Sutherland had been using this software to conceal the extent of his pornography viewing.
During police interviews, he admitted that his motivation for using DuckDuckGo was to prevent officers from seeing how much pornography he was viewing.
This admission confirmed his violation of the conditions set out in his SHPO.
Sutherland appeared before Chester Magistrates Court on Monday, January 11, where he pleaded guilty to breaching the order.
The magistrates expressed concern that he had only six months remaining on his original SHPO when he committed the breach.
Magistrate Andrew Merrill emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We are concerned that you only had six months left before getting involved in this stupid behaviour.
This is your first breach and we don’t think it has crossed the custody threshold.” As a result, Sutherland was sentenced to a new two-year SHPO, which includes strict conditions such as a 7pm to 7am curfew for three months.
Additionally, he was given a 12-month community order that requires him to participate in 20 days of rehabilitation activities.
He was also ordered to pay costs totaling £180.
The court’s decision underscores the ongoing efforts to monitor and restrict individuals with a history of sexual offenses, especially when they attempt to circumvent legal restrictions through technological means.
Sutherland’s case highlights the importance of vigilance and enforcement in protecting the community from potential harm.
