A man previously convicted of child-related offences has been sent to prison for four years after breaching a court order designed to limit his access to online platforms.
James Milton, 32, was visited without notice on 17th May 2024 by officers from Cleveland Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) to ensure compliance with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) issued after his earlier convictions involving indecent images of children.
As part of the order, Milton was required to register all online usernames and allow access to any internet-capable or image-storing devices in his possession.
However, officers discovered he had failed to disclose multiple online aliases and had removed several apps—such as Snapchat, Discord, and Dropbox—without informing authorities, another condition of his SHPO.
A further search of his property uncovered two undisclosed SD cards.
Forensic examination of all seized devices did not reveal any illegal images, but the deletions and omissions were found to be in clear violation of his legal obligations.
Milton was arrested and charged with breaching the terms of his SHPO and failing to comply with the legal requirement to disclose online identities. He admitted to all charges at a hearing at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on 4th April.
On 6th May, the court sentenced Milton to 48 months in custody.
Detective Constable Barnes from POLIT commented: “SHPOs are vital tools to help safeguard the public, especially children, from harm.
Any breach—no matter how seemingly small—is treated with the utmost seriousness.
We are committed to holding offenders accountable and taking prompt action when conditions are ignored.”
Anyone wishing to report concerns or suspicious activity can do so by visiting the Cleveland Police website or calling 101.