PETER ADAMS AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENDER BREACHES IN CLEVELAND

Peter Adams, a registered sex offender from Cleveland, has once again found himself in court after failing to adhere to mandatory notification requirements. Known within the community and under the alias 'Cheery Pete', Adams was involved in a series of violations that have raised concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of offender monitoring.

The incident that led to Adams being summoned before the magistrates occurred during a routine review conducted by officers on January 22. As part of this review, authorities checked Adams' mobile phone and discovered that he was advertising his services as a 'freelance gardener and masseuse' via WhatsApp. Significantly, he did not declare his alias 'Cheery Pete' to the police, which is a direct breach of his registration obligations. The police also uncovered a profile under this alias which was available publicly, raising questions about his attempt to maintain a low profile despite his classification as a sex offender.

Further investigation revealed that Adams had failed to report the existence of two credit cards, which were found during the investigation. One was a Tesco credit card, which he had not registered with the authorities, despite it being active at the time of the check. The other was a Post Office credit card that Adams also neglected to declare, with this particular failure dating back to April 2016 in Leeds. These breaches demonstrated a pattern of non-compliance over several years, highlighting a long-standing failure to meet the obligations set out by the sex offender notification requirements.

During the court proceedings at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, Adams, residing on Grosvenor Terrace in Carlin How, Saltburn, admitted to the charges related to the unreported credit cards. However, he denied any knowledge of or failure to register his WhatsApp alias, the 'Cheery Pete' profile. Despite his denial, the court found him guilty after a trial, and the case for the WhatsApp profile was cemented with his conviction in April.

Prosecutor Lynne Dalton emphasized that Adams is classified as a 'registered sex offender' and has committed numerous offences of a sexual nature in the past. The court was informed that Adams was due for a review on January 22, and during the investigation, officers found evidence that he was actively promoting his services online under an alias that was not registered or approved by the authorities. The police also confirmed that the financial breaches involved active credit cards that Adams had failed to report, demonstrating non-compliance with the mandatory registration rules.

In mitigation, defense lawyer Nick Ayres pointed out that there was no evidence indicating that the unreported credit cards had been actively used for several years. Regarding the WhatsApp allegations, he noted that Adams' personal details, including his name, telephone number, and photograph, were publicly visible, which he argued reduced the risk of harm. Mr. Ayres also highlighted that Adams has been offense-free for the past decade and has successfully established himself as a landscape gardener earning up to £10,000 annually since his last custodial sentence. Additionally, he is a qualified masseuse and currently resides on a houseboat while undertaking ongoing renovation work.

Despite these points, District Judge Stephen Hood made it clear that Adams had breached his notification requirements on three separate occasions, including the failure to report his alias and unreported credit cards. The judge expressed concern about the potential harm posed by Adams’ online presence, particularly his WhatsApp profile, which could attract or threaten vulnerable individuals.

In sentencing, Judge Hood noted Adams’ problematic record and the seriousness of his breaches. As a result, he sentenced Adams to 32 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months. The court also mandated Adams to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activities, participate in a 35-day accredited program with the probation service, and adhere to a four-month trail monitoring period to ensure compliance and local oversight.

Furthermore, Adams was ordered to pay costs of £620 and a victim surcharge of £128. The judge warned that any future breach of his suspended sentence could result in immediate imprisonment, emphasizing the importance of compliance and the risks associated with non-adherence to notification protocols.