Paedophile 'given a chance' by the courts is finally jailed

After failing to comply the notification requirement to remain at one address unless he notified police, Nathan Ceri Sims was taken into custody after a hearing at Leeds Crown Court this week.

The 24-year-old has a number of convictions, including sexual activity with a child, prosecutor Edison Flint told the sentencing hearing.

He said that Sims has been living at a home for people with mental health difficulties in South Kirkby, but over a three-month period last year failed to remain at the premises a total of 18 nights, putting him in breach of the conditions imposed under the Sexual Offences Act.

He was arrested and admitted the breaches to the police, saying he had been staying at his girlfriend's.

Mitigating, Ben Thomas told the court that Sims' low intelligence was key in his offending.

He said: "Age and lack of maturity is a relevant factor, along with some element of a mental disorder.

"He fully admits the offence he committed. He clearly has difficulties he has an IQ of just 71.

"He is described as being low maturity and is highly vulnerable."

The court was told that Sims was given a caution in 2017 for possessing an indecent image of a child.

He was then handed a community order in 2018 after being convicted of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to keep him away from children and limit his internet use.

He was then convicted in 2020 of inciting a child under 13 into a sexual act. He was given a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for two years and handed a new 10-year SHPO.

For his latest offence, the presiding judge, Recorder Paul Greaney QC told Sims: "You were given a significant chance. In my judgement your offending is too serious to warrant nothing other than immediate custody.

"There's a long period of non compliance."

He jailed him for nine months.