Sutton sex offender sent to crown court for watching porn and owning mobiles

A Sutton sex offender breached a court order by watching internet porn and owning two mobile phones, a court has heard.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.Mansfield Magistrates Court.
Mansfield Magistrates Court.

Andrew Radford, 52, of Greenbank Drive, admitted possessing a digital device and accessing pornography in breach of a Sex Offences Prevention Order, between January 1, 2013, and March 16, 2016.

Mansfield magistrates heard the order was made at Nottingham Crown Court in March 2005 after Radford was convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children.

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Robert Carr, prosecuting, said police officers made a routine visit to his home to check he was complying with the order on March 16 this year, when they discovered two mobile phones.

“He said one didn’t belong to him and he made up a story about fixing it for a friend but eventually admitted owning both phones,” Mr Carr said.

Officers checked his search history and saw he had visited porn sites. They discovered both phones had cameras and were internet enabled.

In interview, Radford accepted the breaches of his order.

“He bought the smaller camera in 2013 so he could contact his father who was ill,” said Mr Carr.

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“He bought the second phone in 2014 because he wanted a back-up phone. He said he was interested in photography.”

Debra Bell, mitigating, asked for the matter to be sent to Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing.

“The order was made in the early part of 2005,” she said. “At that stage I am sure it was possible to own a mobile phone that didn’t have internet access or a camera.

“I would imagine it is almost impossible for Mr Radford to own a phone without these things.”

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Miss Bell said she hoped the crown court would amend the order.

“He knows he shouldn’t have either of these phones and he does accept that he initially tried to mislead the officers.

“There is no suggestion the pornographic material was illegal.

“He does need to have a mobile in this day and age. We are more than 12 years down the line from when this order was made and he has not offended again.”

Radford was bailed until October 20, when he will appear at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing.

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