Christopher Coates

Christopher Coates, a 36-year-old resident of South Shields, was exposed in South Tyneside Magistrates' Court for breaching a sexual harm prevention order by using an alias to gain access to children. Previously convicted in July 2016 at Newcastle Crown Court for sexual activity with a child and meeting a child following grooming, Coates had been sentenced to six years in prison for impregnating a 13-year-old girl. He was also placed on the sex offenders register and subjected to restrictions prohibiting unsupervised contact with minors.

In August 2025, Coates began a relationship with a woman, introducing himself as Christopher Davison to conceal his criminal history. Through this deception, he was introduced to her two teenage children, aged 15 and 13, and visited the grandmother's home approximately 15 times. During these visits, Coates showed interest in the children, inquiring about their school activities. On 27 September 2025, he joined the woman, her mother, and the children for a shopping trip in Newcastle, where CCTV footage later captured him in contact with the youngsters at a Metro station.

The deception unravelled the following day when a friend of the grandmother presented a newspaper clipping revealing Coates' true identity and past conviction. Shocked by the discovery, the family realised they had allowed a registered sex offender into their home, breaching the terms of his order. Prosecutor Glenda Beck told the court: 'He has given false details to someone to get into a relationship with her. He has had contact with children, that he knows he is precluded from.' Police reviewed the CCTV evidence and arrested Coates, who made no comment during questioning.

At the hearing on 3 December 2025, Coates pleaded guilty to breaching the sexual harm prevention order between 1 October and 23 November 2025. His defence, represented by David Forrester, argued that the interaction was minimal, claiming Coates only said 'hello' to the children on a couple of occasions and that the grandmother had exaggerated the events. Forrester added: 'He is quite clear that what he says on the record is what happened. The relationship finished last week.' Due to conflicting accounts, magistrates ordered a fact-finding Newton Hearing on 1 May 2026 to resolve the discrepancies. In the interim, Coates was granted bail with conditions to reside at his home address and avoid contact with prosecution witnesses.

The case, reported by the Shields Gazette, highlights the ongoing risks posed by sex offenders evading restrictions through deception, with police involvement underscoring the seriousness of the breach in the South Tyneside area.