Hatfield man jailed for breach of Sexual Harm Prevention Order

A 56 year old man from Hatfield has received a three year prison sentence for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

John Probert of Deerswood Avenue in Hatfield, was found guilty of two breaches of his SHPO, after he registered two alias names with online chat sites and then used those names to interact with other users.

He was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday 14 November.

Probert had been the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order since 2016 and in 2019 was made the subject of one for life.

Detective Inspector Phoebe Biggs, from the Public Protection Unit said: “Offenders who are subject to SHPOs are closely monitored by dedicated specialist trained offender managers, actively safeguarding the public.  In the event of a registered sex offender failing to comply with their requirements, officers will take swift action to manage the risk, as we have done in this case.

“Probert has used several social media websites with his alias names, which he was not allowed to do as per the terms of his order. He has then gone onto numerous social media and chat sites where he has discussed his sexual interest in children and has deliberately concealed his identity to enable him to do this.

“This was a clear breach of the Sexual Harm Prevention Order that was put in place to safeguard the most vulnerable members of society and has resulted in a custodial sentence. “I hope this serves to reassure the public and act as a warning to others who are subject to similar orders.”