Registered sex offender jailed after ignoring restrictions imposed by court.

Medway Sex Offender Jailed for Failing to Comply with Court Restrictions

A registered sex offender from Medway, Richard Howes, has been jailed for failing to comply with court restrictions imposed upon him following a conviction for making indecent images of children.

Howes was issued with a sexual harm prevention order at Maidstone Crown Court on August 20, 2021. The order required him to make any internet-enabled device available for inspection by the police upon request and to notify them within three days of acquiring any new devices.

On February 28, 2024, officers visited Howes after suspecting he had acquired a new phone without notifying the police. Howes presented a phone and a tablet for inspection, denying any other devices. However, a subsequent search of his property revealed two further tablets and another phone that he had not declared.

Howes, of Prospect Row, Chatham, pleaded guilty to three breaches of the sexual harm prevention order at Maidstone Crown Court. On October 3, 2024, the 59-year-old was sentenced to one year and six months' imprisonment. This sentence included six months for breaching a suspended sentence.