A WARWICK man has been given a second chance despite hiding a phone thought to contain indecent images of children.
Judge Peter Cooke feared Richard Pawsey, previously convicted for having indecent images of children, may be slipping back into his old ways.
Although there was nothing illegal on that phone or on other devices seized from Pawsey, officers were unable to find another phone he was known to have had.
The 44-year-old of Edmondes Close, Warwick, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order by having the devices without notifying the police.
He was sentenced to 10 months in prison suspended for two years, with a rehabilitation activity for 25 days and an 8pm to 6am electronically-monitored curfew for four months.
Judge Cooke also ordered Pawsey, who is deaf and suffers from retinitis pigmentosa which causes blindness, to register as a sex offender for 10 years, with an amended sexual harm prevention order for the same period.
The original order had been imposed in 2014 when Pawsey was sentenced for possessing indecent images of children.
Under the order he could not have devices capable of connecting to the internet or of storing digital images without notifying the police and making them available for inspection.
In November last year officers went to his home because of suspicions they had, and when he was asked if he had a phone, he produced an old-style Nokia phone which did not breach the order.
He was arrested on suspicion of having indecent images – although none were found on the devices seized by the police.
On him the officers found a note he had written to an unknown person asking them to call him on a number which did not relate to the Nokia, but to an iPhone 7 which was not recovered.
Dean Easthope, defending, pointed out: “This is his first breach almost seven years into the order.
“His mother says he was given certain phones by them when they got new ones, although that still doesn’t mean he should not have notified the police of them.”
Mr Easthope argued Pawsey’s condition and his mental health would make a prison term particularly difficult.
Sentencing Pawsey, Judge Cooke told him: “I am very concerned that the conduct revealed in this case, with your sneaky concealment of devices, indicates you are slipping back into your old ways.
“I’m talking not just of the devices seized, but also of the iPhone you have successfully spirited away and kept out of the sight of the police.
“You are a visually-impaired man who sadly is destined to find his sight deteriorating further, and you are profoundly deaf. Life in many respects is pretty bleak for you.
“I believe your health difficulties, both physical and mental, constitute compelling personal mitigation.
“But if you offend within the next 24 months you and I will meet again, and my likely conclusion will be that I was wrong to give you the chance I’ve given you today.
“There are to be no more secret phones and no more hidden devices in the future.”
