Sex offender who spent four years in prison has pleaded guilty to 'misleading police' one year after being let out.

Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Misleading Police After Secretly Living with Vulnerable Woman

Stephen Thorpe, a sex offender with a history of five convictions and eight offences, has pleaded guilty to misleading police about his whereabouts. The 41-year-old, who has no fixed address, introduced himself to Swindon Magistrates' Court on July 23 as Herbert Hudson.

Thorpe was required by law to update police every seven days with his location. However, while he informed authorities he was homeless, he was secretly living with a vulnerable woman since Christmas 2023.

"This is a serious charge," said prosecutor Adam Cooper. "Mr Thorpe/Hudson is a previous sex offender... He has knowingly misled police as to where he lives."

The vulnerable woman, who suffers from schizoaffective disorder, described in her witness statement her inability to properly judge people due to her condition. Despite this, Thorpe repeatedly lied to police about his living situation.

Thorpe's most recent sexual offense in 2019 was deemed so serious that he spent four years in prison, serving the entire term before his release in 2023.

While Thorpe's defense lawyer, Mark Glendenning, pointed out that Thorpe's previous convictions were against males, not females, the court acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. "He accepts that he has been at that address for the time period that he has known this lady," said Glendenning. "He hasn't told this lady about his previous history and he considers himself as of no fixed abode."

Chair of the bench Peter Searle deemed the case too serious to be handled at the magistrates' court and sent it to Swindon Crown Court. Thorpe was released on conditional bail with the condition that he not contact the vulnerable woman in any way. He will reappear in court on August 30, and a pre-sentence report will be ordered.