A "prolific" sex offender who crashed his car outside a police station was jailed after being caught by officers throwing his phone into a river.
The chain of events saw Sean Royle, 40, involved in a vehicle collision directly in front of Maidstone police station, only to be spotted by officers who recognised him from his previous crimes.
Phone thrown over wall
Royle, who is not allowed to use a phone because he is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, tried to throw his device over a wall and into a river, but the attempt to avoid detection failed when a detective spotted the disposal.
The officer quickly reported the incident to colleagues at the station, who jumped over the wall and retrieved the item before arresting Royle at the scene.
Police response
Police officials released a statement describing the incident, with Royle's actions described as not being "the wisest option".
Investigating officer PC Cat Cooper said: "Of all the places to try and dispose of a prohibited item, right outside of a police station would never be the wisest option."
PC Cooper explained that Royle's attempt to throw the phone away had alerted suspicion immediately, saying: "Officers spotted Royle acting suspiciously straight away and it soon became clear why, leading to his swift arrest and seeing him put back behind bars."
Serious crimes
Despite the odd nature of the arrest, officials stressed that Royle's crimes were incredibly serious.
PC Cooper said: "He is a prolific offender who believed he could ignore the strict conditions of his SHPO without consequence, but we will always ensure criminals like Royle are brought back before the court to answer for their actions."
The cause of the car crash has not yet been disclosed by officials, nor has there been a suggestion of any injuries caused or fault of either party involved.
Royle, of Claremont Road in Maidstone, was charged with breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, August 17, to 12 months in prison.
