Breached a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by searching for 'tiny teens'.

Convicted Paedophile Claims Innocent Intent Behind Searches

Bryan Hammonde, 74, from Lansdowne Road in Penzance, has been sentenced for breaching a sexual harm prevention order and failing to adhere to notification requirements as a sex offender.

Hammonde, who was previously convicted in 2020 for possessing indecent images of children, claimed that his recent searches for "tiny" and "tiny teens" were not related to seeking out child abuse material.

During an unannounced interview, police found that Hammonde had been using Duck Duck Go, a search engine that does not store browsing history, on his phone. This contravened his order which explicitly prohibits him from removing browsing history.

Further investigation revealed that Hammonde had also failed to disclose all of his bank cards to the police, another violation of his registration requirements.

Hammonde's defense attorney, Ramsay Quaife, argued that the breaches were unintentional and that his client did not intend to search for child pornography. However, the court found that as an ex-IT manager, Hammonde was fully aware of the implications of his actions.

Sentencing Hammonde, Recorder Richard Stead emphasized that the defendant had deliberately chosen to use software that concealed his online activity, despite understanding the strict terms of his order.

The court is still analyzing the devices seized from Hammonde to determine if they contain any indecent images. Depending on the findings, further charges may be brought against him.