Anthony Bridgestock

Anthony Bridgestock, a 36-year-old man previously residing in Wisbech and now living on Crowland Road in Eye, Peterborough, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). The SHPO, imposed as part of measures to prevent further sexual harm following his earlier convictions, prohibited Bridgestock from using any internet-connected device without the capability to display search history. He was also required to surrender his phone and other devices to police upon request.

On 16 October 2021, officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary visited Bridgestock's home to conduct a routine check. During the inspection of his iPhone, they identified suspicious gaps in the search history. The device was seized, and a subsequent forensic examination revealed that Bridgestock had deleted his internet history on more than 300 occasions, in clear violation of the SHPO. Bridgestock pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO and also to breaching a suspended sentence from a previous conviction.

The sentencing took place at Cambridge Crown Court on 3 March 2024. This is the third time Bridgestock has been imprisoned for such breaches. His criminal history includes a six-year sentence in 2015 for grooming a 15-year-old girl while living in a hostel. In 2018, while residing in South Brink, Wisbech, police discovered he had deleted a messaging application from his phone and breached a court order by clearing his phone's history, leading to a sentence of two years and eight months.

PC Zoe Rogers, the investigating officer from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, commented on the case: 'We work tirelessly to keep track of offenders and keep our communities safe. Bridgestock proved he couldn’t stick to his sexual harm prevention order requirements and I’m glad justice has been done today.' The force emphasised their commitment to monitoring individuals subject to such orders to protect the public.