PETER LANCASTER CAUGHT NEAR PADGATE AND SANDBACH PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN CHARGES OF SEX OFFENDER ORDER VIOLATION

In a recent court hearing held at Chester Crown Court, Peter Lancaster, a 42-year-old man with connections to Padgate and Sandbach, was acquitted of charges related to breaching a sexual offences prevention order. The incident in question took place in June 2006, when Lancaster was accused of persistently loitering outside a primary school while children were playing in the schoolyard.

Prosecutor Simon Parry argued that Lancaster was observed near the school premises at a time when young children were actively engaged in play. According to the prosecution, Lancaster was seen with his hand down his tracksuit trousers, an action that raised suspicion and concern among witnesses. The sexual offences order in place explicitly prohibited Lancaster from waiting or loitering near schools, shops, and other public places until its expiration in 2008.

It was alleged that Lancaster had been lurking outside the school on multiple occasions, raising fears about potential inappropriate behavior. However, Lancaster’s defense attorney, Michael Davies, contested these claims, asserting that his client had not violated the conditions of the court order. The court heard that Lancaster, who originally hails from Padgate but was residing at Linden Bank bail hostel at the time, was the victim of an assault in prison on the preceding Monday night. Lancaster appeared in court with visible injuries, including a black eye and a swollen face, which he sustained during the attack.

Lancaster had been in custody since his arrest on February 16 of that year. His criminal history includes a previous conviction from 2004, when he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after admitting to two breaches of a court order issued a year earlier. During that earlier period, Lancaster was found guilty of following two young girls, aged 12 and 13, after seeing them playing in the street near his home. He also breached the order by lowering his trousers in Buttermarket Street and again at Warrington Central Station, actions that contributed to his prior incarceration.

Despite the allegations and the history of breaches, the court ultimately found Lancaster not guilty of the recent charges, allowing him to walk free from the courtroom. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the monitoring and management of convicted sex offenders, especially those with a history of repeated breaches and violations of court orders.