Alfred Brown, a 42-year-old man from Corporation Road in Newport, Wales, has been returned to prison for breaching the conditions of his sex offender registration. Previously convicted of serious sexual offences, Brown was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in June 2014 following a jury trial at which he was found guilty of rape and sexual activity with a child under the age of 16. The offences for which he was originally imprisoned took place prior to his release, but details of those incidents were not specified in the recent court proceedings.
Upon his release from prison, Brown was subject to strict monitoring by the authorities, including requirements to notify police of any address where he intended to stay for more than 12 hours, particularly in locations where children normally resided. On Tuesday, July 15, during the summer in Monmouthshire, Brown failed to comply with these notification requirements. He admitted to staying at an address in a household where a young girl lived, without informing the police as mandated. This breach was his latest offence and represented a failure to adhere to the sex offender register restrictions imposed upon him.
At Newport Magistrates' Court, the case was prosecuted by Alice Sykes, who outlined how Brown's actions post-release demonstrated non-compliance with the monitoring regime designed to protect the public, especially vulnerable children. Brown's barrister, Zoe Laugharne, argued in mitigation that her client had entered an early guilty plea, which was his strongest defence. She highlighted Brown's potential for rehabilitation through one-to-one support, noting his stable accommodation and support from his partner. Laugharne also referenced Brown's difficult background, including adverse childhood experiences in the care system and a history of drug misuse, which had hindered his reintegration into society.
However, the Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, was unmoved by these arguments. She criticised Brown for failing to take responsibility for his actions, accusing him of attempting to shift blame onto the police. The judge emphasised that Brown did not recognise the ongoing risk he posed to children, pointing out that this was not his first breach of the order and that his overall compliance had been poor. In sentencing, Brown was jailed for 12 months. He will serve half of this sentence in custody before being released on licence. Additionally, he was ordered to pay a statutory victim surcharge.
The case was reported by the South Wales Argus, with contributions from Gwent Police, who provided an image of Brown. The incident underscores the challenges in supervising convicted sex offenders and the importance of strict adherence to registration requirements to safeguard children in the community.