Sex offender is sent back behind bars

A sex offender who failed to inform the police that he was living with a woman has been put back behind bars.

Shaun Cutcliffe was given a nine-and-a-half year sentence for a sex attack in 2009 and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life, which means he must always keep the authoritiesawareofwherehe can be found.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard between December 20 last year and January 29 this year the 31-yearold,whohadpreviouslybeen homeless, did not tell the police he had an address.

Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said: "He failed to notify the police of the address at which he was living.

"He was, in fact, resident withafemale.Inquirieswere made to identify where he was living and he was eventually traced and arrested."

MrWardlawsaidCutcliffe had an attitude of "not really seeingthepoint"oftheconditions he has to abide by and added: "This wasn't an oversight on his part, he was well aware of the requirements and chose to ignore them."

ThecourtheardCutcliffe, from Sunderland, has a caution for an earlier breach of therequirements.Headmittedfailuretocomplywithnotification requirements.

Mr Recorder Tahir Khan QC sentencedhimto18 monthsbehindbars.

Thejudgesaidthere wasnoevidenceCutcliffe'sintentionwastocommitsexual offences but added: "Your attitude to the notification requirements is concerning.

"It has to be emphasised you cannot disregard the requirementsundertheorder."

Speaking to the court via video link, Cutcliffe said he had been staying at his girlfriend'sand"Ijustdidn'tgoto the police station".