Ricky Cavanagh

Ricky Cavanagh, a 38-year-old man with no fixed abode, has been jailed for breaching a sexual harm prevention order imposed following his 2016 conviction for serious sexual offences against a child under 13. The order, put in place in September 2016, prohibited him from accessing social media, deleting data from internet-enabled devices, or refusing to disclose browsing history to police officers.

On 18 March 2022, Cavanagh was spotted walking through Halifax town centre by a public protection officer from the Calderdale Public Protection Unit. Due to intelligence suggesting he had been active on social media and ongoing concerns about his elusive behaviour, officers stopped him and requested access to his phone under the terms of the order. In a brazen attempt to evade detection, Cavanagh opened his device in front of the officer, scrolled through his media, and deleted the Snapchat app right there on the street.

Despite his efforts, Cavanagh was detained and arrested. Although he managed to erase some internet history, a forensic examination of his phone revealed damning evidence. WhatsApp chats showed he had been communicating with another convicted sex offender, discussing the sexual abuse of children in explicit detail. Further analysis uncovered that Snapchat had been installed nine times and uninstalled eight times on his device between February and March 2022, indicating repeated attempts to use prohibited platforms.

At Bradford Crown Court on 13 December 2022, prosecutor Zabreen Alam-Cheetham outlined the case, emphasising Cavanagh's high-risk status and the concerns raised by authorities. His Honour Judge Ahmed Nadim described Cavanagh as a 'high risk sex offender' capable of 'plumbing to the depths of depravity'. Representing himself, Cavanagh expressed satisfaction with the proceedings. He was sentenced to 28 months' imprisonment for the breach, with the judge noting the considerable concern his community behaviour had caused the public protection unit.

The case was handled by West Yorkshire Police, who manage such offenders through dedicated units to prevent further harm. This incident underscores the challenges in monitoring high-risk individuals post-conviction and the importance of stringent prevention orders.