Sex offender took snap of youngster
‘‘ There’s nothing untoward on those devices and nothing untoward with the picture
A SEX offender breached a court order by taking a photo of a young child.
Anthony Gray was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2014 after he was jailed for 12 months for having indecent images of kids.
The terms of that order meant he had to register all internet-enabled devices with the police and could only take pictures of a person under 16 with written permission from their parent or guardian.
A court heard, however, that the 42-year-old was found to have snapped a young child, who was known to him and his family, on his iphone camera in October last year.
Despite the image containing nothing untoward, Gray had failed to get the written permission from the youngster’s parent.
He also failed to register an iphone 6 and laptop with the police, North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.
Gray, of Sixth Avenue, in Heaton, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a SHPO and was given a three-year community order. Magistrates heard that Gray was jailed for 12 months in 2014 for having indecent images of children and was made subject of the SHPO for seven years.
In October last year, he took a photo of a youngster on his iphone, although there was nothing sinister behind it.
Leanne Duffy, prosecuting, said Gray hadn’t sought the written permission of the child’s mother and, when asked by police, she said she hadn’t given it to him.
Miss Duffy added: “Then, in December last year, the defendant failed to register an iphone with the police and acquired a laptop and began using it to search the internet and failed also to register that.
“On February 4, an officer attended the defendant’s address to carry out a review. She requested to see internet-enabled devices.
“He gave her his iphone, saying he had registered it with the police.”
The court heard that the officer seized the mobile and realised it was not registered with the police so a search of Gray’s home was carried out.
Miss Duffy said: “A laptop was found hidden in the defendant’s bedroom.”
Magistrates heard that it was not found that Gray, who had 16 offences on his record, had been downloading anything sinister on the two electronic devices.
Gregg Stephens, defending, said: “Mr Gray says not registering the devices was out on complacency as he was coming to the end of the SHPO term.
“There’s nothing untoward on those devices and nothing untoward with the picture.”
As part of the community order, Gray must attend a sexual offending behaviour programme and pay £85 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
POLICE seized more than £100,000 worth of drugs after a tip-off from the public.
Officers swooped within two hours on Monday after being alerted to suspicious activity in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
At 7.25pm, officers went to a house on Villette Road, Sunderland after reports of a disturbance.
But inquiries in the area led officers to an upstairs flat housing a cannabis farm worth up to £100,000 with plants at various stages of growth.
It was also found that the electricity had also been dangerously by-passed.
An investigation has been launched to identify those involved with the Sunderland cannabis farm and it will be dismantled by officers and the drugs seized.
Earlier that evening at 5.30pm, police received a report of a suspected drug deal that was happening in the Wellands Lane area of Whitburn, South Tyneside.
After searching three vehicles, police found a quantity of cannabis, along with digital scales and zip lock bags.
A 19-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken into custody but has since been released under investigation.
Chief Inspector Paul Walters, of Northumbria Police, said: “It was a very productive couple of hours for our officers who were able to swiftly respond to two reports of suspicious activity by the public.
“That information allowed us to deploy resources to the respective areas and we have now been able to take a significant quantity of drugs out of the hands of criminals and off our streets.
“Inquiries are ongoing into each incident but I would like to thank those who passed on the information.
“The public are very much our eyes and ears in the community – and by working together, we can ensure Sunderland and South Tyneside remain a safe place to live and work.
“With respect of the cannabis farm, this was an incredibly dangerous operation that could easily have resulted in a fire.
“Any blaze could have led to devastating consequences for anybody living in the area.
“Nobody wants to live next to a potential death trap, so it is imperative that communities continue to pass on any information they have or let us know if they see anything suspicious.
“It’s not an over-exaggeration to say that by picking up the phone, you could save lives.”