A homeless sex offender in South Tyneside has been given a suspended prison sentence after breaching court order requirements.

Stanley Riches, 51, was convicted of rape in 2003 and currently lives in a tent. He appeared before borough magistrates for failing to inform police of his whereabouts on one weekly occasion earlier in November, as required by the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Magistrates sentenced Riches to 26 weeks in prison, but suspended the sentence for a year. This is not his first offense; previous non-compliance resulted in jail time in July, April, and November of this year, as well as December 2021. He has seven other similar breaches on record.

Riches was arrested on November 12th for failing to keep his weekly appointment with the police. He admitted to the offense and explained that he had gone to see his doctor for medication and forgot to register. His defense attorney, John Williams, highlighted a significant improvement in Riches' attitude towards life and his full compliance between September 12th and November 11th.

The Probation Service also noted a "vast improvement" in Riches' engagement with their services. Riches was ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge.