WITNEY SEX OFFENDER STEWART HEATHER CAUGHT BREAKING SEXUAL HARM ORDER AT HIS HOME

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Witney, Stewart Heather, a 48-year-old convicted sex offender, was found to be in breach of his legal restrictions and was subsequently sentenced to prison. The incident unfolded in June when police officers discovered Heather residing at his former girlfriend’s residence, despite having previously told authorities that their relationship had ended the month before.

What made the situation more alarming was the presence of a two-year-old child living at the same address. Social services were completely unaware that Heather, who was under an eight-month suspended jail sentence for sending explicit messages to someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl, was living in the same household with the woman and the child. Furthermore, Heather had failed to notify the police of his change of address, which is a breach of his legal obligations.

During the court proceedings on Thursday, July 27, defense lawyer Bethan Chichester explained that her client had not fully understood the conditions of the sexual harm prevention order that was imposed when he received his suspended sentence last year. She clarified that at the time of the initial offenses, Heather and his partner had already separated, and his use of the ‘WhatsFlirt’ app was an attempt to lift his spirits rather than a malicious act.

Ms. Chichester also stated that Heather moved in with the woman to support her, as she was struggling with mental health issues. She emphasized that Heather was not the typical offender usually seen in court for child sex offenses. The defense highlighted that Heather had been candid about his past, admitting that during his previous offending behavior, he was bingeing on cocaine and amphetamines and had turned to online chatting as a way to cope.

Heather’s remorse was acknowledged by his legal representative, who stressed that her client deeply regretted his actions.

Prosecutor Nick Ferrari provided a contrasting account, recounting that police officers responsible for monitoring Heather visited him at his caravan on May 11. At that time, Heather claimed to have abstained from viewing pornography, was no longer in a relationship, and was making progress. He also claimed that an Alcatel mobile phone, which had not been registered with the authorities, was a temporary replacement after his previous phone broke.

However, Mr. Ferrari pointed out that the phone was used to view pornography and to set up a social media account on ‘WhatsFlirt’. In mid-June, police returned to Heather’s caravan to conduct a formal interview regarding his breach of the sexual harm prevention order, specifically about the unregistered phone and a new social media account he had created. Heather was not present at the caravan during the visit, but police eventually tracked him down to his former partner’s property.

During the search, officers found a Kindle device that had been used to view pornography, registered under a new email address in Heather’s name. On the device, they discovered a conversation between Heather and his partner, in which he appeared to recognize that he would be in trouble if the police found him living at her property.

Heather, formerly of Schofield Avenue, Witney, pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order and the sex offender notification requirements. Judge Michael Gledhill KC sentenced him to 26 months in prison, emphasizing the seriousness of his violations. The judge stated, “I want to send a very clear message out from this court that anybody with your perverted desire to look at filthy pictures, sexual pictures, on the internet or to engage with children for sexual purposes will be dealt with very, very harshly by the courts to deter people like you from doing what you’ve done.”

Earlier, in December 2022, Heather had been given a suspended sentence after being caught by a paedophile hunting group. He had sent explicit messages to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl named Layla on Valentine’s Day. The decoy account operator confirmed her age as 13, and Heather’s messages quickly became sexualized, including requests for pictures and graphic instructions. On February 21, Heather asked whether she had acted on his instructions, encouraging her to do so, despite her being only 13.

Members of the vigilante group confronted Heather at his home, recording the encounter, and police later found a small amount of drugs for personal use during their visit. Heather pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and possession of cocaine and amphetamines. He received an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years, along with orders for 120 hours of unpaid work, rehabilitation activity, and participation in the Horizon sex offender treatment program. He was also ordered to comply with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and to remain on the sex offender register for the same period, with a financial penalty of £670 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.