Convicted child sex offender Lee Arthurs is back behind bars after breaching his strict court order while dog-sitting for relatives. The 41-year-old was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) when he was arrested at an address in Essex.
Arrest and Charges
In March, Arthurs was looking after a family dog in Colchester when he accessed various online chat platforms and attempted to engage in sexual communication with children. Police swiftly arrested him, and examination of his devices revealed further chats and indecent images of minors.
Arthurs, of Silk Street, Ipswich, faced charges including three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, three counts of making indecent images of children, and four breaches of his SHPO. He was immediately recalled to prison for the breaches.
Court Appearance and Sentence
Appearing at Chelmsford Crown Court in April, Arthurs admitted the offences. On June 5, he was sentenced to a total of five years imprisonment.
In 2021, the former ambulance worker had been jailed for 11 years for having sex with a 14-year-old girl in a hotel and downloading hundreds of vile images of babies and children being sexually abused. The court heard he had bragged about his behaviour in online chat rooms and used search terms such as 'pre teen' and 'paedo' to find the sickening images.
Police Statement
Detective Sergeant Gavin Tuck said: 'Arthurs showed an absolute disregard of the law and started re-offending when he was released from prison. His abhorrent crimes were identified by specialist teams and he was detained. He poses a significant threat to children, and it is right that he is now behind bars for a significant time. Protecting children from these types of offenders is a priority for us at Essex Police. We continue to be vigilant, rigorously monitor those on licence, and will act swiftly.'
