PAUL THOMPSON FROM PITSEA AND BASILDON FACES JUSTICE FOR REPEATED SEXUAL OFFENSES AND BREACHES

In a series of disturbing incidents spanning over several years, Paul Thompson, a resident of Pitsea, has repeatedly come under scrutiny for his involvement in child exploitation and violations of court orders designed to prevent further offenses. His criminal history reveals a pattern of serious misconduct, with multiple breaches of court-imposed restrictions, leading to ongoing legal consequences.

Back in January 2018, Thompson, then 24 years old and living in Witham, was arrested after Essex Police’s MOSOVO (Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders) team conducted a routine monitoring visit at his residence on Douglas Grove. During this visit, officers discovered indecent images of children, including those depicting girls as young as seven. The forensic examination of his electronic devices uncovered a disturbing collection of illicit material, comprising 28 images classified as Category A—the most severe form of child abuse imagery—along with 59 movies, 58 images in Category B, 66 in Category C, and additional prohibited and extreme content. These findings led to Thompson’s conviction on multiple counts, including making indecent images of children, possessing prohibited images, and possessing extreme pornography. He was subsequently sentenced to 15 months in prison, and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for eight years, along with a decade-long registration on the Sex Offenders Register.

Despite this, Thompson’s criminal behavior persisted. In November 2017, he appeared in Colchester Magistrates Court, admitting to making 16 indecent images and two videos of a child, all of which fell into the most serious categories. The court was informed that these offenses took place in Witham, and Thompson was granted unconditional bail pending a future hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court.

His violations of court orders continued into 2019 and 2020. In March 2019, Thompson attended a probation meeting where he claimed that he had reset his phone due to technical difficulties downloading an application. However, this action resulted in the clearing of his internet browsing history, which was deemed a breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. An investigation into his phone revealed no definitive evidence that he had knowingly wiped his history or accessed further illicit material, but the breach was acknowledged, and he was given a community order with requirements for rehabilitation and unpaid work.

Further breaches occurred in August 2020, when Thompson was found to have violated his court order just months after his release from prison. He was living in Basildon at the time, and the breach was reported to the court. During a hearing at Basildon Crown Court, the details of this breach were not disclosed, but Thompson remained impassive throughout. The case was adjourned to allow for a pre-sentence report, with sentencing scheduled for late September. The judge, Recorder Paul Keleher QC, emphasized the importance of the order and warned Thompson that failure to comply could result in custody.

Most recently, in February 2021, Thompson was again found to have breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order by wiping his phone’s internet history. He claimed that the history was erased after a reset, but forensic analysis showed no internet activity between March 3 and 13 of that year. The investigation could not determine whether Thompson had intentionally wiped the history or accessed further illicit material. At a hearing at Basildon Crown Court, Thompson admitted to the breach and was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 20 hours of rehabilitation and 40 hours of unpaid work. Judge Ian Graham stressed the significance of the order, stating, “You must play your part by not behaving in the way you have behaved.”

Throughout these proceedings, Paul Thompson’s case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in monitoring and managing individuals with a history of child exploitation. His repeated breaches and the serious nature of his offenses underscore the importance of strict enforcement of court orders and continuous surveillance to protect vulnerable children and the community at large.