Peterborough sex offender found looking at indecent images of children

A sex offender was found to be looking at indecent images of children following a police check.
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Paul Shillabeer, 45, was under a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), when he was visited by a detective carrying out a lifestyle check on 7 July 2018.

The officer asked to see Shillabeer’s mobile phone, which he had to surrender to police when asked as part of his SOPO, and discovered he had been using it to look at indecent images of children.

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The phone was seized and examined and a further 142 indecent images were found.

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As part of the SOPO, Shillabeer was forbidden from deleting his internet search history, messages and applications.

However, following the search officers discovered he had deleted both his history and some WhatsApp messages, meaning the order was breached.

Shillabeer, of Braymere Road, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children and breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order.

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He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (8 March).

He was also handed a seven year SOPO and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a further five years.

DC Scott Lloyd, investigating, said: “I hope this sends a warning to those released under SOPOs that we are monitoring them and will be making checks.

“Shillabeer has shown a complete disregard for the order and thankfully we managed to intercept his actions before they became more serious.”

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Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to someone, can apply for disclosure information through Clare’s Law and Sarah’s Law.

More information on sexual offences and the Sex Offenders Register can be found on the force website here: https://www.cambs.police.uk/information-and-services/Serious-sexual-offences-and-rape/Sex-offenders-register