Sex Offender Beat Internet Ban

Bromley Magistrates Court

A convicted sex offender – now working for a community organisation assisting young people in the music business – has admitted breaching a public safety court order.

Terry Hoath, 66, of Romney House, Mulgrave Road, Sutton appeared on bail at Bromley Magistrates Court last Thursday, where he admitted the new offence.

He pleaded guilty to breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) by using his laptop in a private browsing mode known as Incognito to view a Sound Lounge facebook page on December 27, last year.

The SHPO was imposed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on May 25, last year.

The court heard Hoath was a registered sex offender after a conviction in 2007 and is subject to a SHPO, which prohibits private browsing on the internet.

He has previously breached the order and failed to comply with notification requirements.

Hoath's lawyer told the court he is employed by a Sutton “community interest” company, which was hosting a facebook live concert event.

Because Hoath is blocked from accessing facebook he used the Incognito setting to by-pass the ban and view the event.

The former lighting consultant was contacted by the police two weeks alter and attended Bromley Police Station.

Magistrate Elizabeth Worthington bailed Hoath until May 12 for sentencing, telling him: “We feel we need reports. We are not going to deal with this today.”