ACCREDITED SEX OFFENDER MARK STEEL FROM ACCRINGTON ESCAPES JAIL DESPITE BREACHING COURT ORDERS
In a series of disturbing incidents spanning several years, Mark Steel, a known sex offender from Accrington, has repeatedly violated court orders designed to restrict his access to indecent images of children and prevent further offenses.Despite the gravity of his actions, Steel has managed to avoid immediate imprisonment, although he faces significant legal consequences.
Back in November 2017, Steel was subjected to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) by Burnley Crown Court after investigators uncovered that he had downloaded more than 2,200 indecent images of children.
These images included 336 of the most serious Category A photographs, along with 165 Category B and 1,717 Category C images.
The court also learned that Steel was involved in distributing such images, possessed a prohibited photograph of a child, and had in his possession 141 extreme pornographic images.
Steel, then aged 58, pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching the SHPO, which led to his being sentenced to a 14-month prison term, later converted into a 14-month jail sentence with additional conditions.
However, Steel’s violations did not end there.
In October 2018, police arrested him after discovering that he had deliberately breached the terms of his SHPO by using various technological tools to conceal his activities.
Prosecutor Stephen Parker explained that between June and October 2018, Steel employed the Avira Phantom virtual private network (VPN) application, the Antox peer-to-peer messaging and file-sharing service, and failed to provide login credentials for a Mega cloud storage account.
These actions indicated a clear attempt to evade detection and continue his illicit activities.
Further complicating his case, Steel was found to have installed an application called “SD Maid” on his phone, which is designed to clean internet browsing history.
This was a direct violation of his SHPO, which explicitly prohibited him from using such history-cleaning tools.
When police visited his residence on the day of his arrest, they observed Steel’s phone charging and, upon examination, discovered the application.
Steel, aged 59 at the time, admitted to breaching the order and failing to register as a sex offender within the required three days of his release from custody.
His failure to comply with registration requirements and his use of history-cleaning software led to a 17-week jail sentence.
Throughout these incidents, Steel’s criminal record has grown to include seven convictions for a total of 18 offenses, highlighting a pattern of repeated and serious violations.
Despite these breaches, the courts have opted for community-based sentences rather than immediate imprisonment, citing concerns over his recent release from prison and the ongoing risk he poses.
In a particularly disturbing case from early 2019, Steel was convicted of taking indecent images of a child.
At Barrow-in-Furness Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced him to 14 months in prison.
The court was informed that Steel had taken 15 indecent images of a child between January 2012 and March 2016.
Police investigations revealed that electronic devices seized from Steel contained not only these images but also extreme pornographic material involving bestiality.
The evidence further showed that Steel had distributed multiple indecent images of children on specific dates in February 2016, including two Category A images on February 12 and three on February 17.
He also possessed a prohibited image of a child and was found guilty of making indecent images, possessing extreme pornography, and distributing child abuse images.
Despite the severity of his crimes, Steel’s sentencing has been accompanied by ongoing legal restrictions.
He was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and may be required to register as a sex offender, pending further decisions.
The NSPCC, a prominent children’s charity, condemned Steel’s actions as “abhorrent and dangerous,” emphasizing the serious threat posed by individuals like him to the safety of children.
Throughout these proceedings, Judge Gibson emphasized the gravity of Steel’s offenses, noting that his guilty pleas and the nature of the crimes made clear the seriousness of his conduct.
The court has also issued warnings that Steel faces potential prison sentences if he breaches any further conditions or fails to comply with legal requirements.
The ongoing legal process underscores the persistent danger posed by Steel and the importance of strict enforcement of court orders to protect vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.
