Registered sex offender had indecent image of boys on his phone.

Serial pervert jailed for indecent image found on his phone

Alan Hawkins, of North Shields, has been jailed for possessing an indecent image of boys. Hawkins, who is a registered sex offender, has a long history of offending, with previous convictions for indecent assault and possessing and distributing indecent images.

In September this year, police went to Hawkins' home and examined his phone. The first picture they found in his photo gallery was the indecent image, which the court heard was of the most serious type, category A.

Hawkins, 57, who has 23 previous convictions, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court. The court heard his previous convictions include:

• 18 months in prison for indecent assault in 1997
• Five years in prison for possessing and distributing indecent images in 2008
• Three years in prison for possessing indecent images in 2018
• A suspended sentence in June 2023 for breaching his sexual harm prevention order

The latest offense was discovered when police attended his home on September 30.