PAEDOPHILE PAUL LONSDALE FROM RAVENSTHORPE FAILS TO REGISTER WITH POLICE IN BRADFORD

In July 2019, Paul Lonsdale, a convicted paedophile from Ravensthorpe, found himself back in court after failing to fulfill his legal obligation to register his personal details with local law enforcement authorities. Lonsdale, who previously served nearly two years in prison for gross indecency with a child, was subject to strict conditions including an indefinite requirement to sign the sex offenders' register and to re-register annually with the police station in his area.

Despite these legal obligations, Lonsdale neglected to complete his registration on December 4 of the previous year. This date marked his scheduled re-registration, which he failed to do, despite having missed three previous appointments. The failure to comply with these statutory requirements prompted authorities to take action against him.

Paul Lonsdale, aged 53 and residing on Crawshaw Street in Ravensthorpe, pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to notify the police of his current details, a breach of the notification requirements imposed by law. His case was heard at Bradford Crown Court in July 2012, where he was sentenced to a period of imprisonment and was also subject to a sexual harm prevention order, aimed at restricting his activities and monitoring his behavior.

Following his release from prison in May 2014, Lonsdale was required to regularly update his personal details with police authorities. Sharon Thompson, the prosecutor, explained that on December 4 of the previous year, an officer from the public protection unit contacted Lonsdale to remind him that his annual registration was due. The officer made a follow-up phone call and sent a text message to confirm that Lonsdale had received the message, emphasizing that failure to comply would constitute a breach of his legal obligations.

However, Lonsdale did not register on the specified date. Subsequently, on December 13, he contacted the officer to apologize for missing the appointment and promised to visit Dewsbury Police Station that same day. Despite this assurance, he failed to attend. In a later phone call, Lonsdale claimed that he had attended the station and spoken with a young blonde female officer at the desk, although her identity remains unverified.

Prosecutor Ms. Thompson highlighted that this was not the first time Lonsdale had breached his notification duties, noting three previous instances where he failed to comply, although he had not been prosecuted for those breaches at the time.

In sentencing, the magistrates imposed a nine-month community order on Lonsdale, which includes 10 days of rehabilitation activities. As part of his court order, he will work with the Probation Service to reinforce the importance of adhering to legal requirements. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a victim surcharge of the same amount, underscoring the seriousness of his non-compliance and the ongoing efforts to monitor and manage his behavior.