Grooming offender drunk on bench

A missing sex offender was found drunk on a city centre bench after a police search to track him down.

StephenJoneshadfailedto tell the authorities he had become homeless and was "loose on the streets".

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 55-year-old was supposed to declare any change of address after being ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register when he was convicted of attempting to meet a child following grooming and given a suspended jail term in May last year.

Prosecutor Jenny Haig told the court within days of the conviction Jones registered himself as living at a Holiday Inn in Washington.

But when he lost the accommodation and became homeless he did not report the change.

The court heard the authorities found out Jones was no longer living at the Holiday Innandwas"sleepingrough"in Sunderland city centre.

Miss Haig added: "On July 20 this year Mr Jones was foundinanintoxicatedstateon a bench in Blandford Street. "

Jones told police he had experienced problems with finding accommodation, had an alcohol problem, had spent time in hospital and "couldn't remember" if he had told the authorities.

Jones, of no fixed address, admitted failure to comply with notification requirements.

David Callan, defending, said Jones had complied well with the other aspects of the suspended sentence order, has mental health problems and needs help to deal with his circumstances.

Judge Julie Clemitson sentenced Jones to a community order for 12 months and added furtherrehabilitationrequirements.