Registered Hartlepool sex offender deleted WhatsApp messages from iPhone

Frederick Peppert, 66, from Hartlepool, was given a suspended sentence and made the subject of a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order in January last year.

It was after he admitted three counts of possessing indecent images of children.

The Sexual Harm Prevention Order – imposed so officials could monitor Peppert’s behaviour – stipulated he could not delete his internet history on any devices.

Police and the probation service examined his iPhone during a planned home visit last September.

Joshua Cockburn, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said: “It was found that Peppert had altered the settings relating to eight WhatsApp contacts with the effect that messages sent and received from those contacts was automatically deleted after a set period of time.”

When questioned, Peppert, who is retired, said the contacts were long-time friends and the messages were politically incorrect.

Mr Cockburn added: “He said he was embarrassed by the content of some of the conversations with those contacts.”

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said they were not of a sexual nature and Peppert, who admitted the breach, appeared to have shown “genuine remorse”.

Mr Scraborough added his client had also complied well with the terms of the suspended sentence.

Judge Advocate Tom Mitchell warned Pepper, of King Oswy Drive, Hartlepool, if he did it again he would be jailed.

He said: "When you are in your position you do not alter your settings and you don’t delete material from your phone.”

Peppert was given a 12-month community order and a six-month home curfew between 7pm and 7am.