A convicted sex offender from Billericay caught with an unregistered gaming console claimed he had purchased the second-hand device via Facebook Marketplace as a Christmas gift for his young son.
Charlie Clarke, 32, residing at The Foxgloves, told officers the white PlayStation 5 was only connected at his home so he could configure it for the eight-year-old boy.
Clarke was originally handed a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) last year following an Essex Police raid triggered by intelligence that he was accessing illicit content. He subsequently admitted three counts of making indecent images of children and one charge of possessing extreme pornography.
Under the strict conditions of his SHPO, Clarke is prohibited from owning or using any device capable of accessing the internet or storing digital imagery without prior notification to the police and making it available for unannounced inspections.
However, during a routine police spot-check at his address in December, officers discovered the unreported PS5 console inside his property.
Prosecutor Harry Hewitt informed the court that during his police interview, Clarke claimed he had acquired the device in mid-November. He stated he was merely cleaning and setting up the system, logging into both his own account and his son’s account so the child could access his library of games.
Appearing for sentencing at Basildon Crown Court, Judge Samantha Cohen expressed strong doubt over his explanation, remarking that she was raising a sceptical eyebrow at his reasoning for having the console.
Addressing defense barrister Molly Dyas, Judge Cohen highlighted that contact established on online gaming networks frequently features in sexual communication and child grooming cases, serving as a common pathway for adults to direct young people off gaming platforms and onto personal mobile devices. While acknowledging that no evidence proved such activity had occurred in this specific instance, the judge emphasised the ongoing risk given Clarke’s underlying sexual predilections.
Despite these concerns, Judge Cohen suspended Clarke’s eight-month custodial sentence for 18 months, noting that it was his first recorded breach and that he was actively cooperating with the probation service. In addition to the suspended term, Clarke was placed under a four-month curfew between 7pm and 6am, ordered to pay £304 in court charges, and instructed to hand over the PS5 for destruction. He also remains subject to ongoing unpaid work requirements from his original convictions.
Judge Cohen warned Clarke that failing to comply with the curfew, breaching the order, or committing any further offences over the next 18 months would result in his eight-month prison term being immediately activated.
We cannot figure out how he got such a light sentence when he is currently on conditional bail for alleged grooming and child abuse.
Image Credit – Anonymous
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