Lee Patterson
Age: 26
Town: Norfolk
Convicted: 27/01/2021
Sex offender used secret Twitter account to post indecent material.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced for Posting Indecent Material on Secret Twitter Account
A convicted sex offender, Lee Patterson, 23, was sentenced to two years in prison for posting indecent material on a secret Twitter account, in violation of his sexual harm prevention order. Patterson, who had been previously jailed for 16 months in March 2020 for breaching the order, was discovered to have set up a secret Twitter account and used an undisclosed email address.
During the investigation, police discovered that Patterson had posted two messages containing indecent material, including a live-stream video. He was also found to be in possession of a phone he had not disclosed to authorities.
Patterson claimed he had thrown the phone down a drain when he realized he was being investigated, preventing police from examining its contents. He admitted to not complying with the order, claiming his love for social media was the reason for his actions.
Judge Maureen Bacon stated that Patterson is a "persistent offender" who "is unable to restrain himself" despite being subject to court orders. She criticized his "deviousness" in continuing to offend and his attempt to dispose of evidence.
Patterson's defense attorney, David Stewart, argued that his client was a "vulnerable young man" who was isolated and struggled to cope independently. However, the judge ultimately imposed the two-year sentence, emphasizing Patterson's repeated violations of the law.