Worcester Magistrates Court: Man breached sexual harm prevention order

Alfred Roberts, of Avon Road, Tolladine, Worcester, was given a hospital order in 2016 and left a mental hospital on July 28, 2022 - but within hours breached the strict order that had been placed on him. 

We reported on Robert's case in 2016 when he was found guilty at Worcester Crown Court on two charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming.

He was found unfit to plead by psychiatrists but a jury established he had committed the acts after hearing a trial of the facts.

In the case the court heard Roberts met two girls at the Hive library in August, 2014.

PERVERT: Alfred Roberts Worcester Magistrates Court (Image: Sam Greenway/Newsquest)

He persuaded them to add him as a friend on Facebook, took them to lunch and talked in an over-familiar way.

Police later found pictures of young girls, showing their underwear,  as well as several photographs of young girls by his bedside and around his home.

Roberts told police that he had no sexual interest in young girls but, the crown said, although no sexual activity had taken place the evidence suggested that was his motive.

Roberts was placed on an indefinite SHPO and told he could have no contact with any child. 

Tom Wickstead, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, said on July 28 last year he used a computer at the job centre and did not notify his police offender manager; on July 30 he had sat on a wall near a school and on August 1 he had a USB stick on him which he had also not notified his offender manager of having. 

Mr Wickstead said no material of any concern was found by police on the computer devices, and the issue was Roberts "simply had not reported them". 

CASE: Roberts appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court

He added the category he put the "deliberate breaches" in would attract a custodial sentence. 

Roberts, who admitted three breaches of the SHPO, was defended by Sarah Brady. 

Mrs Brady described the breaches as "minor" and "technical" just short of an excuse. 

She explained images found on the USB were of trains while he used the computer at the job centre to apply for universal credit. 

Mrs Brady added Roberts had sat on the wall as he had struggled to walk at the time due to a bad knee, and where he had sat was by a hedge with no view of the school, which was empty during the school holidays. 

Ceila Cundale, chairman of the magistrates bench,  told Roberts he would receive a conditional discharge for 12 months explaining if he committed another offence during that period he would be doubly punished. 

Roberts was also told to pay costs of £185 and £26 victim surcharge.