Sex offender jailed for breaching his parole after release from prison

Scott Fawcett was jailed for four years in 2012 for sexual activity with an underage girl he groomed via Facebook.

On release, he was subject to a lifelong requirement to tell police where he was living, Teesside Crown Court heard.

“He had a registered address in Furness Street in Hartlepool,” said Nigel Soppitt. prosecuting.

“He also had another registered address in County Durham.

“It came to the attention of the police he was living at neither property, but had moved in with a woman and a child at an address not notified to the police.

“The breach of the notification requirement was two-fold.

“He wasn’t at either of his registered addresses, and he was also spending more than 12 hours in a house where a child was present.”

The court heard Fawcett has a previous conviction for breaching the terms of his release from prison.

“He logged on to a computer in a public library using a number of aliases,” said Mr Soppitt.

“He then used those aliases to contact other people on the internet.”

Fawcett, 29, of Furness Street, Hartlepool, admitted two breaches of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Damian Sabino, defending, said in mitigation: “Mr Fawcett was concerned his new relationship would end if he told the police where he was living.

“He had told his new partner about his previous conviction, although I accept it may have been his version of those events.

“Mr Fawcett does have problems with his mental health, and he is terrified at the prospect of going back to prison.”

Judge Howard Crowson jailed Fawcett for 12 months.

The judge told him: “You deliberately lied to the police about where you were living.

“You must understand they are there for a reason, and when you are released from this sentence they will still be in force and must be complied with.”