Owen Payne Jailed for Breaching Sex Offender Order and Possessing Weapons

A convicted Maidstone sex offender has been sentenced to over two years in prison for multiple breaches of a court order designed to manage his behavior.

Owen Payne, 24, had previously received a suspended prison sentence for attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) requiring him to notify police of any internet-enabled devices he possessed.

During a routine home check in September 2024, patrols at Payne's Cornwallis Avenue residence seized three mobile phones, a tablet, a gaming device, and a computer. None of these devices nor Payne’s 16 online aliases had been reported to police as required by his SHPO.

Further searches uncovered nine bladed weapons, including knives and swords. Payne was subsequently charged with breaching his SHPO, failing to comply with notification requirements, and multiple counts of possessing illegal weapons in a private place. He pleaded guilty to all offenses and was sentenced to two years and eight months' imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on February 4, 2025.