A CONVICTED sex offender who returned and smashed up his mother’s home after moving out without telling the police his new address has been jailed.
Shaun Duffy had admitted causing criminal damage, burglary, and threatening to destroy property, and been found guilty of failing to notify the police of a change of address.
The 53 year-old who had been living in a caravan at a scrap yard in Balsall Common, was jailed for a total of three years and three months by a judge at Warwick Crown Court.
Prosecutor Andrew Wallace said in March 2013 Duffy had been jailed for sexual assault and was ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years, under which he had to notify the police whenever he changed address.
When he came out of prison he went to live at his mother’s Leamington home.
But he moved to the caravan at the scrap yard without notifying the police of the move.
And when his mother went on holiday at the end of October he returned and attacked her car on the drive with a hammer.
A neighbour called the police, and when officers arrived Duffy, who was armed with a knife, threatened them before telling them he was going to set the house on fire.
The police put a cordon round the property, but Duffy managed to get out and was arrested in a nearby park.
And when his mother returned from holiday she found he had smashed the television, framed photographs, decorative plates and other items in the house. He had also stolen £26 in cash.
Judge Alan Parker imposed a restraining order prohibiting Duffy from contacting his mother or going to her home.
Jamie Strong, defending, said Duffy had had mental health issues from a young age, together with his use of crack cocaine, had been assessed by a psychiatrist as suffering from an ‘emotionally unstable personality disorder.’
Duffy was given consecutive sentences of three months for damaging his mother’s car, 18 months for the burglary, nine months for the threat to destroy the house, and nine months for failing to notify the police of his change of address.
