Child sex offender breached order by stopping the night at a house where children lived

Anthony Metcalfe, 32, was on licence from his previous sentence for indecent assault and assault by penetration when he stayed the night at the property where children lived.

Teesside Crown Court heard he stopped with the family in breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bans him indefinitely from having contact with children under 16

The family was unaware he had been convicted of a sexual relationship with an underage year old girl which resulted in a 70-month prison sentence in 2015, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield

Metcalfe claimed that he was homeless at the time, Teesside Crown Court was told. He appeared by videolink from Durham Prison to be sentenced

Mr Hadfield said: “He claimed that he was never unsupervised. He said he knew he should not have contact with the children but he said he was homeless and it was a place to stay.”

Stephen Constantine, defending, said Metcalfe had been arrested, re-called and put in custody on December 1.

Judge Peter Armstrong told Metcalfe: “I take the view that this caused very serious distress.”

Metcalfe, formerly of Stephen Street, Hartlepool, was sentenced to 16 months and given a 15-year restraining order banning him from contacting the family or go within 100 yards of their home, after he pleaded guilty to five breaches of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order in November and failing to comply with registration requirements.