RENE LE BRETTON FROM SHEPTON MALLET FACES COURT OVER FAILED SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION IN SOMERSET

In January 2014, a serious legal case unfolded in Shepton Mallet involving Rene Marcel Le Bretton, a man with a long history of sex offenses and a current resident of Cowl Street, Shepton Mallet. The proceedings revealed that Le Bretton, who had previously served a decade in prison for multiple sex-related crimes, was now facing charges for failing to adhere to strict legal obligations tied to his status as a registered sex offender.

Le Bretton had been ordered to sign the National Sex Offenders Register for life following his conviction in 2002 at Truro Crown Court. This order mandated that he notify authorities of any changes to his personal details, including any aliases or pseudonyms he might adopt. However, in this recent incident, police investigators discovered that Le Bretton had been writing a self-help book aimed at stress management under a pseudonym, John Ryder, without informing the authorities of this new identity.

When law enforcement officials approached Le Bretton, they confronted him about his use of the pseudonym. He was explicitly told that he needed to register this new name with the authorities. Despite multiple warnings, Le Bretton refused to comply, claiming that the police were bullying and intimidating him. The situation escalated when he was arrested for his failure to register the pseudonym.

During the court hearing at Somerset Magistrates, the 60-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to the charge of non-compliance with the sex offender notification requirements. The charge specifically related to his failure to register the pseudonym John Ryder on August 23 of the previous year. Prosecutor Sam Jones outlined the background, emphasizing that Le Bretton had been convicted of numerous sex offenses in 2002 and sentenced to ten years in prison. Since his release, he had been under strict obligations to notify authorities of any changes to his identity.

Jones explained that on July 30 of the previous year, police had arrested Le Bretton at his residence in Shepton Mallet. During questioning, Le Bretton admitted to writing a book under the pseudonym John Ryder. He was advised to register this alias by August 9 but failed to do so. A reminder text was sent to him on August 6, but he responded dismissively, claiming that repeated threats of arrest amounted to bullying and intimidation. The following day, he was arrested again.

In interviews, Le Bretton claimed that he had been diagnosed with early onset dementia, which he argued affected his memory. However, medical professionals consulted by the court clarified that while he showed signs of age-related memory decline, he did not have dementia. The defense, represented by solicitor Brian Carrick, argued that since Le Bretton’s release from prison in 2008, he had consistently fulfilled his notification duties. Carrick emphasized that Le Bretton was involved in co-authoring a book about stress, and that using a pseudonym was not unusual among authors. He insisted that there was no malicious intent or attempt to conceal his identity, and that this was his first and only offense since his release.

The magistrates decided to adjourn the case to allow for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service. They found that Le Bretton’s failure to register the pseudonym was a deliberate breach of his legal obligations. The next court hearing was scheduled for February 10, where all sentencing options, including possible custody, would be considered. Until then, Le Bretton was released on unconditional bail, awaiting the final decision of the court.