William Powell

William Powell, an 84-year-old sex offender residing in Belfast, Northern Ireland, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court charged with breaching the terms of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO). The order had been imposed by Antrim Crown Court in October 2020 following his conviction for sex offences, for which he received a custodial sentence of 28 months.

The breach occurred in February 2025 when Powell travelled from Belfast to Motherwell in Lanarkshire, Scotland, to meet another individual subject to monitoring as a sex offender. Police officers attended a house in Motherwell to check on the other offender and discovered Powell present. He informed the officers that he was assisting with the move into the property and claimed to be homeless, intending to stay there. Further inquiries revealed that Powell had arranged an overnight stay at a local establishment in Hamilton without obtaining the required prior approval from his risk manager, as stipulated by the SOPO.

The SOPO explicitly prohibited Powell from changing his residence or staying overnight away from his home without authorisation, a measure designed to protect the public and allow authorities to monitor his activities. Police checks confirmed Powell's criminal history, including at least four prior convictions, all related to sexual matters. Notably, Northern Irish police were unaware of his travel to Scotland at the time.

• Powell admitted the breach during the court hearing.
• His defence lawyer, Ian Scott, informed the court that Powell was on bail and had secured new accommodation in Belfast, emphasising that he had no other outstanding offences.

Sheriff Kevin McCallum acknowledged Powell's repeated offending, stating, 'He is not a one-off offender.' The sheriff highlighted the importance of the SOPO, noting, 'The purpose of a sexual offences prevention order is to protect those at risk. Breaching it can attract a prison sentence of up to five years. The authorities need to be able to keep tabs on him.' Despite the seriousness, the sheriff deferred sentence for six months and ordered Powell to be of good behaviour during that period.

This incident underscores the ongoing monitoring required for individuals with a history of sexual offences, particularly when crossing jurisdictions within the United Kingdom. The case was reported by the Daily Record on 5 December 2025, based on proceedings at Hamilton Sheriff Court in Lanarkshire.