Samuel Kettell

A 22-year-old man from Peterlee, County Durham, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed following his earlier conviction for child sex offences.

Samuel Kettell, of Hale Rise, Peterlee, was subject to the ten-year SHPO after receiving a 16-month suspended prison sentence at Durham Crown Court on 29 March for downloading and distributing indecent images of children. The order required him to notify police of any internet-capable devices and make them available for inspection of their internet history.

On 7 June, during a routine monitoring visit by Durham Police to his home, Kettell handed over his iPhone but denied possessing any other devices. A search of the property uncovered an undeclared iPad, which he had not mentioned during previous visits on 5 April and 18 May. Kettell claimed the device was lost and that he had been searching for it for weeks.

Prosecutor Caroline McGurk informed the court that the iPad had been used to access the internet, but its history had been deleted, constituting a further breach of the SHPO. Kettell admitted using it for YouTube music and an adult pornography site, but Judge Ray Singh remarked that the deletion suggested illegitimate use, stating: "If the use of that iPad was for iTunes and legitimate pornography you would have been cautioned, but there can only be one reason you put the use of that computer to, and that would be for illegitimate use."

A probation report assessed Kettell's risk of reoffending as "high" but manageable in the community. Defence barrister Kate Barnes argued that the community elements of the original order, imposed in late March, had not yet had sufficient time to take effect, and highlighted Kettell's engagement issues with mental health services. She urged the judge to allow more time for compliance.

Judge Singh, however, determined that Kettell had paid mere "lip service" to the order, which was designed to prevent harm, particularly to young children. He activated eight months of the suspended sentence and added four months for the breach, resulting in a total 12-month custodial sentence. A deprivation order was also made for the iPad. The case was heard at Durham Crown Court, as reported by The Northern Echo on 26 October 2023.