Hartlepool sex offender warned by judge to co-operate with probation service or go to jail

Martyn Vaughan, 29, was due to be sentenced at Teesside Crown Court on Friday, March 13, but a pre-sentence report said he indicated he didn’t want to work with probation services.

Judge Paul Watson, said Vaughan is a ‘significant risk’ to young females and if he doesn’t co-operate he will have no choice but to jail him.

Vaughan, of Sheriff Street, pleaded guilty to trying to communicate with a person under 16 for sexual gratification between November 2017 and January 2018.

He also admitted two charges of making indecent photographs of children - 24 images on a phone - between October 2017 and January 2018.

And he admitted distributing one indecent picture of a child on a phone on January 7, 2018.

After his guilty pleas he was required to register as a sex offender until his case was dealt with.

Stephen Constantine, defending, said his client had not co-operated because he suffers from a number of medical problems, which sometimes cause him extreme pain and mobility issues.

He said he has explained to his client that the probation service would not hold that against him and would work with him.

Mr Constantine said after further discussions with his client, he is now willing to comply with any orders made.

Judge Watson said: “The pre-sentence report makes it clear he is a significant risk to young females.”

He said there are two ways of dealing with this, either working with probation to mitigate this risk, or spending a significant time in prison where he wouldn’t have contact with any young females.

Mr Constantine said: “There has been somewhat of a sea change in Mr Vaughan’s attitude.

“He tells me he is willing to co-operate.”

Judge Watson, said to Vaughan: “If you leave me with no option but to impose a prison sentence, that is what I will do.

“I would urge you to give serious consideration to showing a bit more co-operation with the probation services than you have shown so far.”

The case was adjourned for further reports until April 20 and Vaughan was granted bail.