Serial sex offender found wandering around with a lock knife.

Godfrey Bignell, a man with a criminal history dating back to the early 1970s, was recently sentenced in York Crown Court for possessing a knife in public and breaching court orders.

Bignell, who had previously resided in Scarborough, returned to the town for what he claimed was a holiday. However, his stay was short-lived as he was apprehended by police after being found with a knife in a betting shop in Westborough.

Bignell, who had been residing in Doncaster, was subject to notification requirements and a sexual-harm prevention order following convictions for sexual offenses in 2018. Despite this, he had failed to maintain his registered address, prompting police to investigate.

Police were alerted to Bignell's presence in Scarborough by a member of the public who saw him in a betting shop covered in blood. Upon searching him, officers discovered the knife.

Bignell claimed that he had been in Scarborough for a week and was carrying the knife to remove a tag from a new belt. He attributed the blood to a fall that resulted in a bloody nose.

Bignell pleaded guilty to breaching his notification requirements and possessing a knife in public. In court, his extensive criminal record, spanning over 50 years, was revealed. This record included convictions for indecent exposure, sexual offenses against children, violence, outraging public decency, and numerous breaches of court orders designed to prevent further sexual offending.

The court heard that Bignell had been diagnosed with serious mental health issues, and a probation report recommended an immediate prison sentence due to his high-risk status and inability to manage himself in the community.

Judge Sean Morris expressed concern over Bignell's repeated breaches of court orders, particularly in a seaside town frequented by children. He emphasized the dangerous nature of carrying a knife and the need for Bignell to seek help.

Bignell was sentenced to 18 months in prison, of which he will serve half behind bars.