In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that 32-year-old Daniel Hedison—of Honiton, but formerly of Torquay—was jailed for 14 months after infiltrating a young family’s life to gain access to their toddler son. Hedison appeared at Exeter Crown Court where he admitted to four counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The investigation established that Hedison befriended the unsuspecting parents, who allowed him to play with their son and even left him alone to babysit on two occasions.
The investigation established that the parents had no knowledge of Hedison’s history, which included a 2015 conviction for making seven counts of indecent images of children. The prosecution reported that during his original offending, Hedison had exchanged fantasies about abusing babies and young boys while downloading images of children aged four to 13. Exeter Crown Court heard that Hedison was caught only after an eagle-eyed volunteer at a football match recognized him, having researched his background on the internet.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that the impact on the family was devastating, with the mother requiring treatment for anxiety upon learning the truth. The investigation established that Hedison had presented himself as a trusted friend, leading the toddler to treat him like an uncle. The prosecution reported that Hedison was fully aware of his restrictions—which required him to notify police of contact with children and disclose his past to parents—yet he deliberately bypassed these safeguards to fulfill his self-admitted sexual interest in young males.
Judge-led proceedings at Exeter Crown Court concluded with Judge Peter Johnson rejecting a suspended sentence in favour of immediate custody. For his actions in Honiton and the serious risk posed to the toddler reported, Hedison was sentenced to 14 months in prison. The judge noted the alarm bells regarding Hedison’s previous admissions to police about his interests, stressing that the imprisonment was necessary to protect the public from a man who systematically deceived a family to bypass statutory monitoring.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Devon and the South West, the status of Daniel Hedison as of April 11, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED ON LICENCE (Sentenced to 14 months in 2020; served custodial term; currently under high-risk community supervision).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active for LIFE.
- SHPO Status: Active for LIFE (Including strict bans on unsupervised contact with minors, mandatory disclosure of past convictions to any parents, and total digital monitoring).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Breach of SHPO x4; Making indecent images of children x7).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Exeter Crown Court; investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police.
- Criminal Record: Befriended a family to access a toddler; Babysat a child while hiding a paedophile past; Exchanged fantasies about abusing babies online; Previously admitted a significant sexual interest in young males.
- Origin: Honiton / Torquay, Devon.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Hedison is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the Devon area. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his ability to socially engineer his way into a family home and his history of baby-abuse fantasies—his management is a priority for the Devon and Cornwall Police Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his history identifies him as a deceptive individual who will actively seek out “uncle” figures to mask his predatory intent, requiring the most rigorous tier of statutory oversight, including frequent unannounced home visits and forensic audits of his social circles.
As a registered sex offender for life, the 38-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that the 2020 conviction for breaching his order highlights the necessity of constant vigilance and the role of public awareness in identifying offenders who flout their restrictions. Any attempt to befriend new families, any failure to notify police of social contacts involving children, or any unauthorised presence at youth events will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who demonstrated a persistent and calculating intent to bypass the law.
QUESTION – Given that the offender successfully groomed an entire family to gain babysitting access to a toddler, do you believe that any breach of a SHPO involving physical proximity to a child should carry a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence to reflect the high risk of escalation to physical assault?
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