Paul Denman

Paul Denman, a 74-year-old registered sex offender from Carlisle, faced court proceedings for failing to comply with his sex offender notification requirements by not informing police about a new bank card he received in the post.

Denman has a history of sexual offences. In the early 2000s, he was sentenced to prison for three counts of indecent assault against a female child, which resulted in him being placed on the sex offender register with obligations to keep police informed of his personal and financial details. More recently, last year, Denman admitted to viewing online images depicting the sexual abuse of children, leading to a judge imposing a community order on him.

The latest incident occurred when a police offender manager and probation officer conducted a pre-arranged visit to Denman's home late last year. During the visit, Denman produced a building society debit card with an issue date of August 2025. He confirmed receiving it through the post around August or September but had not attended an accredited police station within the required three days to notify authorities, as mandated by his registration conditions.

Prosecutor Diane Jackson informed Carlisle Magistrates' Court of these details, highlighting the breach between 1 August and 15 December. Denman admitted the failure to comply with the notification requirements. His defence solicitor, Chris Toms, explained that the card was for an existing account with unchanged activity and that Denman had simply forgotten due to personal circumstances, emphasising that the breach posed no risk of nefarious activity and was merely an administrative oversight.

Magistrates noted that this offence was committed in breach of the community order from the previous year. They referred the case to Carlisle Crown Court, where Denman is scheduled to be sentenced on 15 May. In the interim, he has been granted bail.