Isle of Wight man jailed for Sexual Harm Prevention Order breaches

A registered sex offender has been jailed after breaching the conditions of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

As part of the SHPO, Martin Phillip Simms, aged 42, of Park Mews in Sandown, is prohibited from deleting his internet history.

He is also required to produce digital devices to police for inspection on request, and inform police of any online usernames he has within three days of creating them.

On 2 September this year police, accompanied by probation workers, visited his home address unannounced.

During the visit, the internet history on his mobile phone was examined and officers could see had been using a teen chat room app on a different device.

Simms eventually admitted he had a second device which was handed to police for inspection. On checking this device, the teen chat app was not present and Simms admitted he had deleted it including all of its Internet history.

He also admitted that the username for the app was not one that he had registered to police, which he was required to do.

Police established that the device held two other apps with two further usernames which had not been registered with police. These were again social media apps for chatting with young people.

Simms was charged with three counts of breaching a sexual harm order, which he admitted when he appeared at Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on Friday 3 September.

Appearing at Newport Crown Court today (Friday 15 October), Simms was handed an 18 month jail sentence. Simms is already serving a 7 year sentence, on licence, which is due to expire in 2024 – he will serve the remainder of that sentence in prison before then beginning his 18 month jail sentence for the SHPO breaches.

PC Keith Haywood, from the Isle of Wight Offender Management Team, said: “We invest significant resources into the protection of the public and the management of sex offenders, and it’s a duty we take very seriously.

“Officers will often make unannounced visits to offenders where they are subject to an intrusive investigative interview process. This helps us understand their routines, interests and behaviours.

“On this occasion, Simms was visibly uncomfortable with our presence, and it was clear from the examination of his phone that he had no intention of sticking to the conditions of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

“These orders are put in place to protect the public, and ensure that individuals do not re-offend. Where they choose to disregard them, they are rightly punished and I am pleased that Simms is now behind bars.”