Convicted Sex Offender Back in Jail for Ignoring Court Order

David Dingwall Coughtrie, a 54-year-old with a history of sex offenses, is back behind bars after repeatedly violating a court order. In 2021, Coughtrie was given a "final chance" after using a fake name to contact a schoolboy on PlayStation. However, police discovered he had deleted WhatsApp messages and an image of a child during a visit to his home on December 12, 2022.

Despite claiming to only own one device, a search following his arrest uncovered a games console and a tablet. At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Coughtrie pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and failing to comply with notification requirements.

Coughtrie has been subject to an indefinite SHPO since 2016. He was sentenced to two years in prison for his repeated violations.

Detective Sergeant Laura Ames of Staffordshire Police's Sexual Offender Management Unit (SOMU) stated, "We take the management of sex offenders extremely seriously and will pursue and prosecute those who choose not to comply. Coughtrie rightly has very strict requirements that he is expected to abide by, and he has shown a complete disregard and lack of respect for them on a number of occasions. This sentencing should serve as a deterrent for others."