Convicted child sex offender moved in with a woman shortly after leaving prison but did not tell her the truth about his criminal past.

A convicted child sex offender from Devon has been jailed for two years after breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to notify authorities of his address change.

Lee Savage, 41, moved in with a woman in Taunton shortly after his release from prison, without disclosing his criminal past. He presented himself as part of the family and spent most of his time in the area.

Savage, who was banned from contact with children under the SHPO, ignored its restrictions and failed to inform police and probation services that he was not residing full-time at his registered address in Plymouth.

His deception was uncovered when a family member, suspicious of Savage's behavior, Googled his name and discovered his history as a registered sex offender, including a previous conviction for grooming children.

Savage swiftly left the property but was subsequently arrested by police and brought before the court.

The defendant, previously of Keyham Road in Plymouth, pleaded guilty to breaching his SHPO and two counts of failing to comply with notification requirements.

Prosecutor Mr James Adam revealed that Savage had been released on licence from a previous jail sentence for attempting to meet a girl under 16 after grooming her in 2020. Instead of adhering to his registered address in Plymouth, he entered into a relationship with a mother-of-two in Taunton and moved into her home.

Prior to his arrest in November, Savage had spent 101 days in the Taunton area. While he was never alone with the woman's children in private and did not commit any sexual offenses, he offered to care for them, creating the impression of a family unit.

The relationship ended when the woman's sister discovered details of Savage's 2017 conviction, involving his apprehension by paedophile hunters, through a Google search. The sister shared the information online, prompting police investigation.

Savage's failure to inform police about his address change constituted a breach of his notification requirements. His contact with the children without their parent's full and informed consent also violated the terms of his SHPO.

Savage's former partner expressed anger at herself and a feeling of being groomed by allowing him into her life.

The defendant has a history of sexual offenses, including convictions from 2010 for sexual activity with a female child under 16 and possessing indecent photos of children. He also has a prior breach of his lifetime SHPO on his record.

Ms Evie Dean, defending Savage, argued that he had endured a difficult childhood and was released from prison at the height of the Covid pandemic, feeling a lack of stability. She acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed his remorse.

Judge Anna Richardson acknowledged Savage's notification of his Plymouth address but stated that he had spent little time there, actively engaging in family life at the Taunton address. She described his breach as persistent, highlighting his history of disregarding orders and actively seeking to avoid police notification.

The judge imposed a 10-year restraining order barring Savage from contacting the family.