Peterborough sex offender jailed after being left to look after young lad

Aaron Batchelor, (23), had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed on him and was put on the Sex Offenders Register in 2015 after being convicted of making and possessing indecent images of children.

However, in July this year Batchelor, of Wootton Avenue, Fletton, Peterborough, exchanged messages on social media with a 16-year-old boy and later stayed at the teen’s home overnight, where the lad lived with his nine-year-old brother.

Then, on July 31, Batchelor was left at the property to look after the younger boy by himself.

He was arrested on 3 August by officers from the Public Protection Unit (PPU) after the boys’ mother read media coverage of a previous conviction for breaching his notification requirements.

Batchelor pleaded guilty to a breach of his SHPO and failure to comply with Sex Offenders Register requirements and was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (September 24).

DC Jim Howard said: “I would like to thank the woman who came forward after reading about Batchelor in the media. It is crucial that members of the public continue to help us in bringing these people to justice.”