In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Colin Rickards, 66, was sentenced to two years in prison after breaching court orders to contact children on social media. Appearing at Worcester Crown Court, the defendant—who was living at Braley House approved premises in Ombersley Road, Worcester, Worcestershire—admitted to three breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). It was reported that Rickards, a high-risk sex offender with a history of buggery and indecent assault, bought two mobile phones from a city shop to bypass monitoring.
The investigation established that Rickards was assessed as a very high-risk offender and was being monitored on licence following a nine-year sentence for previous attacks on boys. West Mercia Police reported that on 3 October, Rickards visited a Vodafone store in Worcester to purchase a MobiWire handset and a Samsung Galaxy A40 smartphone. The prosecution reported that he then used these devices to search through thousands of suggested friends on Facebook, sending requests to boys he found sexually attractive.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Rickards was found to have 70 friends under the age of 18 on his social media account. Worcester Crown Court heard that when confronted by his offender manager, Rickards was dishonest, producing only one phone and claiming it could not access the internet. The investigation established that CCTV from the Vodafone store and a profile picture of Rickards in a Newcastle United shirt were crucial in proving he had been actively seeking out underage boys online.
Recorder David Mason QC praised the persistence of the probation service for stopping behaviour that could have led to face-to-face contact offences. For his actions in Worcester, Rickards was handed a two-year custodial term, and the court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the mobile phones. The judge noted that the breach was made more serious by the defendant’s history of disobedience to court orders and his deliberate attempts to delete material to hide his activity.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Colin Rickards is as follows:
- Custodial Sentence: 2 years (Sentenced 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for life.
- SHPO Status: Subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (imposed September 2016).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Worcester Crown Court following a West Mercia Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Buggery (9 years in 2002); Indecent assault on children; Making indecent images; SHPO breaches.
- Origin: Braley House, Worcester, Worcestershire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Rickards is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) as a very high-risk predator within the West Mercia area. Due to the nature of his conduct in Worcester, which involved targeting boys online immediately upon his release to approved premises, his management is a priority. Authorities state that his history and total dishonesty with offender managers necessitates the most intensive digital monitoring and frequent, unannounced device inspections by the Public Protection Unit.
As a registered sex offender for life, Rickards’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his persistence in seeking victims on Facebook in Worcestershire requires permanent vigilance. Any future attempt to possess undeclared devices or use social media to contact minors will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the community and to uphold the protection of children from harm.
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