Anthony Robert Kirkbright

A registered sex offender from Blackburn has been sentenced to six months in prison for failing to comply with his court-ordered notification requirements. Anthony Robert Kirkbright, aged 53, breached the conditions imposed following a 2018 conviction for sexual assault, which required him to register on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and inform police of any online aliases.

Preston Crown Court heard that Kirkbright was released from prison on April 16, 2020, after serving time for a stalking conviction. During his escorted journey from prison to a hostel in St Peter’s Street, Blackburn, he signed a notification form explicitly stating he must notify police of any aliases used online. However, just eight days later, on April 24, 2020, officers conducted a compliance visit at the hostel and examined his phone. They discovered he was logged into a Facebook profile under the alias 'Jean Williams', which he admitted was his ex-partner’s last name.

Prosecutor Beth Pilling told the court that the profile had received a message with a profile picture featuring a young child, initially raising concerns. Further investigation revealed the account belonged to a female church minister in Lagos, Nigeria, and the child was likely a relative. The conversations dated back to July 2017 and were described as being of a 'non-sinister nature', with no evidence of grooming or exploitation. Kirkbright claimed the alias was solely for buying items on Facebook Marketplace, but the chats on April 24 contradicted this, though they remained innocuous. He admitted knowing the requirement but cited difficulties walking to the police station within the one-hour deadline as his reason for not registering the name immediately.

The court learned that Kirkbright has a extensive criminal history, with 25 convictions for 37 offences, including five previous breaches of his notification requirements. Notably, in 2017, he had used the same alias 'Jean Williams' to purchase children’s clothing on Facebook. Defending solicitor Philip Holden highlighted Kirkbright’s learning difficulties, struggles with complex concepts, and itinerant lifestyle, oscillating between prison and inappropriate hostel accommodation. Holden noted that Kirkbright was aware he was conversing with an adult church minister abroad, with no prospect of meeting.

Judge Beverley Lunt imposed a six-month custodial sentence, emphasising the seriousness of repeated breaches by a registered sex offender. The case was reported by the Lancashire Telegraph on June 14, 2020, based on proceedings at Preston Crown Court.