Paedophile tried to be jailed again
a meeting with his probation officer.
“The police were tasked to attend during the meeting because he had a mobile device thathehadnotinformedthem about.
“When interviewed by police, he made full admissions, but what the police have highlighted is that he did it on purpose.
“Thatwasbecausehewanted to get to prison, that’s his ultimate goal.
"I would submit it was a deliberate offence but that there was little or no harm.
“There is no evidence that he downloaded anything. This is his first breach of the order.”
Grey-haired Croudace pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm order, imposed by Newcastle Crown Court on June 25, 2021.
As a foster carer, Croudace, then living in North Shields, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years in May 2018.
He had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three youngsters, who were not in his care, and making indecent images of children.
His sentence was reduced on appeal to six-and-a-half years in 2020.
Gerry Armstrong, defending, said: “I don’t know where to start with this, I’ve spent the last 42 years appearing at this court to keep people out of prison.
“He said that he was struggling. He said that was robbed, that some people in Sunderland took his bank card.
“They cleared out his bank account and he was left with about £3 and on the streets. The easiest thing was to buy a phoneandgettheprobationofficer to call it.
“He thought the Probation Service would immediately recall him to prison under the terms of his licence and he would be away.
“I’ve now learnt that the Probation Service is not going to recall him.”
Stephen Burdis, chair of the bench, told Croudace people should not commit offences in the hope of being jailed, but said his crime was serious enough for custody.
Croudace’s curfew is from 2pm to 10am, and he must pay a£114victimsurchargeand£85 court costs.
::Asexualharmprevention order (SHPO) is a court order which can be requested by the police,orcourtwherethereisa specificconcernaboutanindividual,soastopreventaperson from engaging in a particular activity.