Child sex offender hid relationship from police
Northumbria PoliceA child sex offender who hid his relationship with a woman with children from police has been jailed for two years.
William Gardner, 51, was also caught messaging a 14-year-old girl while breaching several court orders imposed in 2021 for offences against girls, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Gardner, from North Shields, had a "predilection for contacting young girls" and posed a "realistic danger" to any partner with children, Recorder Christopher Knox said.
He admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and sex offender notification requirements.
Gardner was made the subject of an indefinite SHPO in 2021 when he was jailed for 32 months for offences including inciting a girl to engage in sexual acts and for having sexual communications with a child, prosecutor Rebecca Brown said.
As part of those restrictions, Gardner was ordered to inform police if he stayed for at least 12 hours at a house where children under the age of 18 were present, the court heard.
He also had to register any aliases, including online usernames, with police and not delete his internet history.
'Got to live with it'
On 6 March, Gardener attended a police station for a regular risk review when an inspection of his phone revealed he had been in a relationship with a woman, Brown said.
There was also evidence he had been sending a 14-year-old girl messages on Facebook, in breach of his SHPO, had been using an online alias and had deleted messages, the court heard.
When asked about the deleted messages, he told the officers he had done it as did not want them to know about his relationship with the woman who had children.
The woman, who had no idea about Gardner's convictions, was contacted and confirmed he had spent several nights at her home while her children were present, the court heard.
Gardner, who had 13 offences on his criminal record, was jailed for eight months in 2023 for breaching the court orders when he failed to register a new mobile phone with police, the court heard.
In mitigation, the court heard Gardner had fallen in love with the woman and had been trying to "normalise his life".
Recorder Knox said he understood Gardner's desire to live a normal life, but added: "The fact is you've got that history, it's your fault, you've done it and you've got to live with it."
He said Gardner had a "sad history of offending" with a "predilection for contacting young girls" which had led to him being jailed twice before.
The judge said Gardner had not been "right or fair" with the "unfortunate woman" he formed a relationship with and the sex offender was "realistically dangerous" and a "risk to anybody [he got] involved with with children".
The court orders would also continue indefinitely, the judge said.
