Sex offender jailed for deleting search history

Paul Cummings was jailed for 15 months at Newcastle Crown Court

A convicted sex offender has been jailed for deleting his internet search history.

Paul Cummings, 38, was subject to several court orders restricting his usage of the web after being convicted of grooming and trying to meet a girl under 16 for sex, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The court heard he had previously committed numerous breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements.

Cummings, from South Shields, was jailed for 15 months after admitting new breaches.

'Online aliases'

Prosecutor Gabrielle Wilks said Cummings, of Woodhouse Court, was made subject of a five-year order in 2020 for his attempts to meet a girl for sex.

That was extended to 10 years in 2021 after he was found to have been "attempting to or engaging in a sexual conversation with a child" online, Ms Wilks said.

On 14 December police visited his home to search his phone as part of his court orders.

It was found he had been using but deleted Snapchat and Whatsapp while 18 items had been deleted from his internet search history, Ms Wilks said.

He was also found to have been using four aliases online which had not been registered with police, the court heard.

'Persistent breaches'

Ms Wilks said the deleted searches included news articles about Liverpool and Newcastle United football teams, a wrestling website and Hello magazine.

"Although what was recovered was innocent searches, the full extent of what was deleted could not in fact be uncovered," Ms Wilks said.

In mitigation, the court heard Cummings had been diagnosed with conditions including autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia and dyspraxia and he struggled in social settings.

Recorder Anthony Hawkes said Cummings was a "registered sex offender" who had "persistently breached" the requirements of his court orders.

"These orders are in place to regulate your activity and cut down any risk that you present to the public," the judge told him.