Callum Lee Bates, a 21-year-old man from Andover, Hampshire, has been sent to Winchester Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The breach occurred when Bates engaged in prohibited contact with a 13-year-old boy via the dating app Grindr, an platform intended for users aged 18 and over.
The court heard that the conversations took place between September 8 and 11, 2019. During the exchange, the boy stated his age as 13, prompting Bates to acknowledge the legal boundaries by writing, "I have to be careful mate, due to the fact that you are under the age of consent." Despite this, Bates suggested they meet "as friends," adding, "I am happy to meet and talk mate, as friends, but anything sexual is not recommended." This interaction violated the terms of his SHPO, which banned him from contacting children, although the planned meeting did not proceed further.
Bates' history includes a prior conviction in April 2018 at Winchester Crown Court, where he was subjected to the SHPO after being caught by paedophile hunters. At the age of 18, he had attempted to meet what he believed was a nine-year-old boy named 'Dillon' at a train station for 'full sex'. Unbeknownst to Bates, the individual was a decoy posed by the hunters. To impress the decoy, Bates arrived wearing a police uniform. This earlier incident underscored his pattern of behaviour targeting minors.
On December 7, 2020, at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, Bates pleaded guilty to the breach charge, which had been committed on November 5, 2020. Judge Tim Pattinson ruled that the case warranted sentencing at the Crown Court, stating, "My initial view is that this should be properly sentenced in the Crown Court. It seems desirable that the court that made the initial order should have some say in the sentence." He further noted practical reasons, including the potential for a second SHPO and the magistrates' limited sentencing powers, saying, "I am committing it to Crown Court, partly due to the practical reasons, and partly due to the unlimited sentencing powers, because this court’s sentencing powers may well not be sufficient in this case."
Bates' solicitor, Jane Joslin, addressed the court regarding police suggestions for an additional SHPO, arguing it would be "more pertinent to send this case to Crown Court to be dealt with." Bates was granted unconditional bail pending his sentencing hearing on January 8, 2021, at Winchester Crown Court. The case highlights ongoing enforcement of protective orders against individuals with histories of child sex offences.