RICHARD HERRINGTON

GWYNEDD SEX OFFENDER BACK IN PRISON AFTER BREACHING ORDER

A CONVICTED sex offender from Gwynedd has returned to prison after breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Richard Herrington, 28, of Station Road, Abergwyngregyn, was sentenced to one year and eight months’ imprisonment at Caernarfon Crown Court yesterday (February 26).

He had previously admitted breaching a SHPO and a restraining order.

Prosecutor Joshua Gorst said Herrington is a registered sex offender after being convicted of taking and distributing indecent photographs of a child in 2023.

Herrington was jailed for two years and four months for these offences, and handed an indefinite restraining order and a 10-year SHPO.

Among the conditions of this SHPO was that Herrington was prohibited from contacting other sex offenders.

But when his mobile phone was checked on January 16, four saved contacts within it were found to be sex offenders.

During the check, Herrington’s phone rang four times from one contact, who was one of these sex offenders.

Police also found multiple messages about what Herrington would like to do to a schoolboy.

He had also breached the indefinite restraining order handed to him.

Herrington, who had two previous convictions for five offences, largely gave no comment in his police interview.

Representing him, Ryan Rothwell said there was no suggestion of any new sexual offending, or of contact with children, on Herrington’s part.

“He shouldn’t have been in contact with other like-minded individuals,” Mr Rothwell accepted.

Herrington was said to have had a “traumatic background” and “cognitive limitations,” as well as poor mental health.

Sentencing, Judge Nicola Jones made a deprivation order in respect of Herrington’s phone.

She told him he had committed “repeated and persistent” breaches of the SHPO.