Man Sentenced to Two Years for Breaching Sexual Harm Prevention Order

A Guildford man has been sentenced to two years in prison for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Steven Sturgess, 52, pleaded guilty to the charges at Guildford Crown Court on Monday, November 15th.

Sturgess was initially given the order and placed on the Sex Offender's Register in 2009, following a previous conviction.

The order included restrictions on his internet access and subjected him to unannounced visits from police officers.

During one such visit in February 2022, officers discovered that the monitoring software installed on Sturgess' laptop had been removed. Further investigation revealed he had been accessing extreme pornography and indecent images of children.

Sturgess also pleaded guilty to possession of extreme pornography and making indecent images of children.

PC Lisa Varley and PC Graham Smith, the investigating officers, stated: "The restrictions placed on convicted sex offenders allow us to closely monitor their behaviour. When breaches like this occur, we take swift action to prevent further harm and de-escalate the offender's behaviour."

"This sentence serves as a reminder to other offenders that we will diligently monitor and check your behaviour. We will not hesitate to act if you re-offend."