SHELDON PARKER FROM PELTON JAILED IN COUNTY DURHAM FOR ONLINE SEX OFFENCE AND FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH POLICE REQUIREMENTS

In a case that has once again highlighted the dangers posed by convicted sex offenders, Sheldon Parker, a 25-year-old resident of Pelton in County Durham, has been sentenced to prison for multiple breaches of his legal obligations following a series of concerning online activities and violations of court orders.

Back in May 2022, Parker was initially sentenced to a community order after he engaged in a sexual conversation online with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to him, the profile he was communicating with was a decoy set up by a paedophile hunter group aiming to catch offenders. Despite the court's clear instructions, Parker was required to notify the police of any change of name or online aliases, as well as to register any address where he stayed for more than 12 hours.

However, Parker failed to adhere to these conditions, breaching the order in both January and April of the same year. These violations led to his appearance at Durham Crown Court on a recent Thursday, where he faced five charges of failing to comply with the notification requirements. Parker pleaded guilty to these charges during a prior hearing, acknowledging his misconduct.

The prosecution, led by Ellen Wright, explained that the offences came to light after a mobile phone shop manager in Chester-le-Street contacted the police. The manager had sold an iPhone to Parker and, at the time, did not think much of the transaction. However, he was later informed that Parker had a previous conviction for a sexual offence, which raised suspicions.

Subsequently, the manager received a Facebook message from an account under the alias 'Charlie Smith,' inquiring about another device. It was later confirmed that this account belonged to Parker, who was using the false name to conceal his identity. The police were alerted, and further investigations revealed that Parker had contacted an officer from an unregistered phone number. The number was traced back to a profile named 'Dr Charlie Smith,' sharing the same address and date of birth as Parker, confirming his attempts to evade detection.

Authorities then arrested Parker, and a thorough examination of his phone was conducted. The investigation uncovered multiple social media apps, including Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, all of which Parker had used without registering with the police, as required by his court order. Additionally, police discovered that Parker had stayed at the home of a woman with a young child, but he failed to inform authorities of this residence, breaching his legal obligations.

During sentencing, Judge Ray Singh addressed Parker directly, dismissing his claims of ignorance regarding the court order. The judge stated that Parker had provided