Paul Webster Jailed for Breaching Sexual Harm Prevention Order

Kent Police has a team of officers dedicated to checking the conduct of registered sex offenders, ensuring they comply with court-imposed conditions following convictions. Paul Webster was issued a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after his conviction on September 1, 2017, at Maidstone Crown Court for making indecent images of children.

The SHPO included prohibitions regarding Webster's internet use and required him to allow officers to inspect his computers and devices. On February 14, 2024, two officers visited Webster's home and requested any phones or computers for inspection. He provided a non-internet enabled phone, claiming he had no other devices.

A search revealed two internet-enabled phones (one hidden under a pillow), 11 USB sticks, and an SD card. One of the phones contained indecent images of children, including those in the most serious category, along with a browser lacking internet history. These findings demonstrated multiple breaches of Webster's SHPO.

Officers also discovered that Webster had acquired a bank card without notifying the police, violating his sex offender notification requirements. He was charged with making indecent images of a child, failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements, and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Webster pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court. On December 20, 2024, the 56-year-old was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.