John Nolan

John Nolan, a 38-year-old resident of Stockton-on-Tees, appeared at Teesside Crown Court after breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). Nolan had been subject to the SHPO since 2015, following his conviction for downloading child sex abuse images. The order prohibited him from deleting his search history, a measure intended to monitor his online activities and prevent further offences.

On an unspecified date prior to June 17, 2024, Nolan sold his old Google Pixel phone and an Xbox console to a CEX shop for £200. During the transaction, he authorised the staff to perform a factory reset on the devices, which erased the search history in violation of his SHPO terms. Nolan subsequently informed his supervising officer about the sale but attempted to deflect responsibility by claiming that his mother and her partner had coerced him into disposing of the phone. This account was later proven false during his interview.

Prosecutor Anthony Pettengell outlined the breach to the court, stating: “He called the officer to tell him that he had his phone to CEX and when he was interviewed, he falsely claimed that his mother and her partner had coerced him into selling the phone.” The court also heard that Nolan was already serving a community order for a prior breach of the same SHPO. Nolan pleaded guilty to the offence on June 17, 2024.

In mitigation, Paul Abrahams urged Recorder Peter Makepeace to adhere to the recommendations in Nolan's pre-sentence report. The judge imposed an eight-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, along with additional requirements: 26 accredited thinking skills sessions, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and 200 hours of unpaid work. Recorder Makepeace warned Nolan sternly: “You cannot breach this sexual harm prevention order without going to prison, do you understand that? ... This is your last chance, breach the order again and you will go prison. It won’t be any good coming here with any excuses, you will simply go to prison.”

The case was reported by The Northern Echo, with coverage by crime and court reporter Graeme Hetherington, highlighting ongoing efforts to enforce restrictions on convicted sex offenders in the region.