Man breached sexual offences court order

'Breach it again and you’ll be going to prison'

A HUNGERFORD sex offender did not feel the need to obey court orders designed to protect children from him, a judge said.

But he was spared a custodial sentence after claiming, via his barrister, that he would be “vulnerable” if sent to jail.

Instead, the 63-year-old was given a community sentence for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for the third time.

But Judge Heather Norton warned Michael Freegrove at a sentencing hearing on Tuesday: “Breach it again and you’ll be going to prison.”

Reading Crown Court heard Freegrove, of Kennedy Meadow, was convicted of five counts of possessing child sex images in 2014 – some of them in the most depraved category of all.

Sarah Morris, prosecuting, said Freegrove – deemed to be a “medium risk” for reoffending – had breached the SOPO twice before.

On the first occasion, Freegrove breached its terms by staying at a hotel 33 times without informing police as he was required to do. He was given a caution.

On the second occasion, the court heard, he was caught with an internet device which did not have ‘risk management’ software attached, in a deliberate breach of the SOPO terms.

At a previous hearing, Freegrove admitted defying the rules a third time by failing to notify police that a child had resided at his home for 12 hours or longer between February 18 and March 18.

Her client was the sole carer for his fiancée, who, she said, needed a bone graft on her foot and would be unable to walk for weeks.

In addition, she said, Freegrove would be “vulnerable” if sent to prison.

Judge Norton told Freegrove: “It’s the opinion of the author of the pre-sentence report that you try to minimise your actions; that you demonstrate a lack of consequential thinking and that you have a blasé approach to court orders, thinking you shouldn’t be subject to their restrictions or intrusions.

“You simply fail to comply with court orders which ... are primarily to safeguard those who are vulnerable – as children are.

"They are made in the expectation they will be followed.

“Breaching a court order is a criminal offence for which, as you were no doubt told in 2014, you could receive a custodial sentence.”

She added: “The previous breaches are aggravating factors.”

A mitigating factor was Freegrove’s early guilty plea, said Judge Norton, who nevertheless continued: “Court orders are made in the expectation they will be followed.

“Let there be no doubt: I am going to put a note on your file so any judge, in perpetuity, can see it – breach it again and you’ll be going to prison.”

Freegrove was made subject to an 18-month community order with a 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

In addition, he was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.

Finally, he was ordered to pay £340 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of £85.