Barry Hollingsworth

Barry Hollingsworth, an 84-year-old church-going sex offender from Haverfordwest, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court for breaching his lifelong sexual harm prevention order by possessing an unregistered smartphone. The breach occurred when police discovered the device during a routine home visit, highlighting Hollingsworth's history of non-compliance with court-imposed restrictions.

In August 2018, Hollingsworth had been sentenced to a five-year extended sentence following his conviction for possessing dozens of child sex abuse pictures and videos on a tablet. As part of that sentencing, he was made subject to a lifelong sexual harm prevention order, which prohibited him from owning any devices capable of accessing the internet or storing data unless they were registered with the police within three days of acquisition. This order was intended to prevent further sexual offending by limiting his access to technology that could facilitate such activities.

On 1 October 2023, officers from Dyfed-Powys Police conducted a compliance check at Hollingsworth's address on Slade Park in Haverfordwest. Upon arrival, no one was home, but an officer peered through a window and spotted two phones on the kitchen counter: a red phone that had been properly registered with the police and an unregistered black smartphone. The officers returned the following day, 2 October 2023, and questioned Hollingsworth about the black device. He claimed it had been given to him by a church member and that he did not know how to use it, insisting he had 'forgotten' about the terms of his prevention order.

Prosecutor Alexandra Wilson informed the court that examination of the phone revealed minimal activity: it had been activated on 29 July 2023, with only one text message confirming activation and a single internet search for 'How to set up a new phone please'. No concerning content was found on the device. Hollingsworth pleaded guilty to breaching the order during his interview with police.

The court heard that Hollingsworth had 15 previous convictions for 33 offences, including 11 sexual offences and multiple prior breaches of court orders. In mitigation, defence barrister Alex Scott argued that there had been 'minimal use' of the phone and that Hollingsworth was unable to properly set it up. Scott noted the defendant's intention to use it for innocent purposes, such as internet correspondence and remote participation in church activities, and emphasised that there was 'no suggestion it was in any way concealed from the authorities'. He also suggested that at his advanced age, Hollingsworth may have experienced some degree of cognitive decline, and confirmed that the defendant did not want the phone and planned to relinquish it to the police.

Judge Huw Rees described Hollingsworth's criminal history as 'long' and 'concerning', 'full of sexual deviant behaviour'. Despite the breach, the judge opted not to impose a custodial sentence, instead sentencing him to an 18-month community order, which included a requirement to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities. The existing sex offender notification requirements and sexual harm prevention order remain in force. The case was reported by the Western Telegraph, with court proceedings held at Swansea Crown Court.