A SEX offender who chatted to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl has still not been sentenced after yet another delay over his medical report.

Matthew Sherwood is now due to be sentenced at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, June 17, almost five months after he first admitted the offences.

The 37-year-old pleaded guilty to sexual offences before magistrates in late January, hiding behind a human shield of supporters outside court.

There have so far been five court hearings about this one case - four at Worcester Crown Court alone - at a time when judges and magistrates are still working to clear the backlog of cases created by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Worcester News: SHIELD: Matthew Sherwood was screened by a human shield during his first appearance at magistrates courtSHIELD: Matthew Sherwood was screened by a human shield during his first appearance at magistrates court

He was due to be sentenced on March 2 but the case was adjourned for six weeks until April 13 because his advocate argued his mental health needed to be explored before any decision was reached on his fate.

However, by this date the report still had not become available to the defence and the case was adjourned until May 11.

At that hearing the case was once more adjourned until May 26 and, upon that date, it was yet again adjourned because of the absence of the report. 

Worcester News: DELAYS: Matthew Sherwood. Photo: West Mercia PoliceDELAYS: Matthew Sherwood. Photo: West Mercia Police

The defendant, of Mandalay Drive, Norton, Worcester, admitted attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and having indecent images of children.

We have previously reported how Sherwood was screened at court by supporters who formed a 'human shield' so he could not be photographed.

In March, Sherwood was said he was signed off work with a raft of mental health issues including psychosis and schizophrenia.

At a hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court on January 27, Sherwood had pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between January 31, 2020 and February 8, 2020.

He further admitted attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity between January 31, 2020 and February 8, 2020.

Sherwood was before the court on March 2 when Judge Martin Jackson agreed ‘there should be some medical evidence from his mental health practitioner to perhaps consider the link between his mental health condition and these offences’.

Speaking in April about the case, Belinda Ariss, defending, said she had written to the enhanced primary care mental health service. “Unfortunately we have not yet received a response. That letter and that response has unfortunately not been chased,” she said.

The defendant was also told to sign the sex offender register at the last hearing which means he must notify police of any change of address for example.

'Attempts' mean the defendant was communicating with a 'decoy' using fake profiles, rather than an actual child. Sherwood further admitted making indecent photos of a child between April 12, 2020 and June 6, 2020. He had three category C images, the least serious category within the guidelines.

Judge James Burbidge QC warned Sherwood in April: “You must not put in your mind that you will necessarily avoid immediate custody. You must ready yourself for that. These are serious matters.”

The case was previously opened by David Jackson, prosecuting, who said Sherwood was caught by a group called 'No More Secrets', an online child protection unit using the profile of a fictional 14-year-old girl.

"He told her she was beautiful and age is just a number," said Mr Jackson.

Sherwood was granted unconditional bail. A draft sexual harm prevention order will also be considered.