Kevin Challen

Kevin Challen, a 55-year-old man from Worthing, West Sussex, has a history of sexual offences involving children. In March 2021, he was first convicted for possessing indecent images of children discovered on his computer during a police investigation. For this offence, Challen received a suspended prison sentence of 10 months, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years, and became subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposing specific restrictions to prevent further harm.

While serving his suspended sentence, Challen breached the conditions of his SHPO. Through lies and deception, he befriended unsuspecting family friends and began messaging a 12-year-old child. The child demonstrated remarkable bravery by informing their parents about the extent of Challen's unlawful contact, which prompted immediate action from Sussex Police. Officers arrested Challen following the disclosure.

A detailed investigation by Sussex Police led to Challen being charged with three offences of breaching his SHPO and an additional charge for failing to comply with notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register. Challen pleaded guilty to all charges. He appeared for sentencing at Lewes Crown Court on 15 March 2023, where he was handed a custodial prison sentence of 31 months. Furthermore, his SHPO was amended to run indefinitely to provide ongoing protection to the public.

Crime investigator Dawn Hosken from Sussex Police commended the victim, stating: 'I would like to commend the victim for their bravery in coming forward.' This case underscores the importance of SHPOs in monitoring and restricting the activities of registered sex offenders to safeguard vulnerable children from potential exploitation and harm. The source of this information is a UKNIP news article detailing the breach and sentencing.