Sex offender withheld phone due to 'famous friends'

Aaron Bell, 35, was jailed for 16 months for breaching the sexual harm prevention order

A convicted sex offender claimed he had numbers for celebrities in his phone and so refused to hand it over to officers, police said.

Northamptonshire Police conducted an unannounced raid at Aaron Bell's home in Rockingham Road, Kettering, on 3 April.

The force said he repeatedly lied to officers.

The 35-year-old pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order at Northampton Crown Court last month and was jailed for one year and four months.

“As part of Bell’s sexual harm prevention order, he was required to notify us of everyone he planned to associate with and provide us with their details, to allow suitable safeguarding checks to take place," said PC Mark Edkins.

“But, after claiming to be friends with a number of celebrities, he was continuously evasive in handing over any details, and repeatedly lied to officers."

Police said they also discovered a hidden unregistered mobile phone in his possession.