A Stoke-on-Trent man described as an 'entrenched sex offender' has been sentenced to prison after breaching his court orders for the fourth time in five years.
History of offences
Joshua Checksfield, 23, of Rectory Road in Shelton, first received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2020 after admitting to engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
The court heard that during the original offence, Checksfield had asked a schoolgirl to send him naked pictures and encouraged her to perform a sex act. He also met with the girl and kissed her on the lips on two occasions.
His initial community order was revoked in 2022 when he received a 30-month detention sentence in a young offenders' institution for his first breach of the SHPO.
Repeated breaches
The defendant's offending continued with a two-year sentence in 2023 for a second breach of the SHPO and sexual activity with a child.
In 2024, he received another two-year sentence for his third set of breaches of both the SHPO and notification requirements.
Prosecutor James Hudson told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court that one key requirement of Checksfield's notification order was that he must inform police of any digital device within three days of acquiring it.
Latest offence discovered
Police conducted an unannounced visit to Checksfield's address on August 22 and discovered a mobile phone hidden under his bed that officers had not been notified about.
Analysis of the device revealed a WhatsApp profile, accounts on two dating apps, a Facebook account and a Google account. None of the aliases used had been reported to authorities as required.
Checksfield pleaded guilty to breaching his SHPO, failing to comply with sex offenders' register notification requirements, and two serious sexual offences.
Sentencing and mitigation
Recorder Robert Smith sentenced Checksfield to 18 months in prison, stating: "This is now the fourth occasion on which you have flagrantly breached court orders. Your previous convictions tell me you are becoming an entrenched sex offender who has problems with authority."
Stuart Muldoon, defending, said his client had come through the care system and had difficulties. He stated Checksfield moved to adult dating sites because he felt isolated and was not attempting to communicate with underage individuals.
The judge ordered the deprivation of the phone and placed Checksfield on the sex offenders' register for seven years.
