Sex offender jailed for breaching conditions

A convicted sex offender has been jailed for breaching the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after failing to declare two flash drives to officers monitoring his activities.

James Whitehurst, 40, from the Penkhull area of Stoke-on-Trent, admitted two charges of breaching a SHPO at North Staffordshire Justice Centre on Thursday (24 November).

He was handed an eight-month prison sentence.

The court heard how officers carried out a search of Whitehurst’s address on Wednesday (9 November) and discovered two flash drives, capable of storing digital images.

These devices were found to have not been declared to our force.

Officers seized the flash drives. Officers also found and seized mobile phones, iPods and consoles.

DC Darren Bithell, of Staffordshire Police, said: “We continue to monitor sexual offenders in order to ensure they are adhering to the conditions placed upon them, to protect our communities from the impact of their offending.

“I am pleased that Whitehurst was handed a custodial sentence for this clear breach of his SHPO.”

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