Winchester paedophile avoids jail for breach court order.

Convicted Paedophile Avoids Jail Sentence After Breaching Court Order

A convicted paedophile who admitted to repeatedly visiting a house while children were present, in breach of a court order, has avoided a jail sentence.

Robert Nutbeam was jailed in July 2018 after being caught by 'paedophile hunters' attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 for sexual purposes. He admitted the offence and was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court.

A sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was put in place, but earlier this year police were informed that Nutbeam, of Andover Road, Winchester, had broken a requirement of the order. The order prohibits him from entering and remaining in a household where a male under the age of 16 is present.

The 36-year-old appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to breaching the SHPO on three occasions – July 8, July 27 and August 3, this year.

The court heard that Nutbeam had been assisting a woman with DIY, but her son and his friend, both under 16, were present. Prosecutor William Saunders stated: "The communication was normal and didn't cause any concern." Mr Saunders explained that the offending came to light due to concerns raised by another child.

He added: "It was one of the parents of other children that contacted the police." The woman told police that she was "aware that Robert was a registered sex offender" and that she never left him alone with the children. She stated: "If I would have known about the court order or restrictions placed on Robert I would never have let him in my home."

Mr Saunders argued that the breach was "deliberate", adding that there were "questions as to where this was leading."

In mitigation, Russell Pyne said that Nutbeam self-referred to the Winchester Wellbeing Centre for support, but his case was closed last year due to Covid. He continued: "Certainly it shows he was keen to have support for the various difficulties that he has." Mr Pyne stated that Nutbeam was briefly remanded into custody, which provided him with an "opportunity to reflect on what he has done."

In sentencing, Mr Recorder Malcolm Gibney acknowledged that the breaches were "deliberate" but suggested there was "a level of naivety" from Nutbeam. He added: "You know what you are doing, you are intelligent and perfectly capable of understanding the contents of the order."

Nutbeam was handed an 18-month community order, 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation days.