Connah's Quay paedophile jailed for breaching court order repeatedly

A sex offender named Matthew Hughes has been sentenced to a total of 16 months in prison after repeatedly breaching a court order designed to protect children. Hughes, aged 38, of Lower Brooks Street, Connah's Quay, failed to inform police of his whereabouts, which was a breach of the notification requirement following his previous conviction for sexual activity with a child in November 2008. Hughes was staying with his partner and children in Ellesmere Port but did not notify the authorities, representing his third breach of such an order. Despite having four convictions for a total of 13 offences, including earlier failures to comply with notification regulations in 2021 and 2023, he continued to defy court directives. The court heard that Hughes had previously been under a suspended sentence, and his repeated breaches involving failure to disclose his residence were seen as an attempt to continue a normal family life, which was incompatible with public safety. Judge Niclas Parry commented, "You have tied the courts' hands this time," and emphasized that Hughes's actions had severely undermined efforts to protect children. Hughes's defense denied some allegations, but the judge condemned his attitude, noting his voluntary efforts to address mental health issues and his role as a carer for his elderly mother. The court made it clear that his failures had forced the judiciary to impose a custodial sentence, sentencing him to 8 months in custody and 8 months on licence, with the period of his breach marking a significant concern for child safety.