In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that 69-year-old John Addy—of Carnarvon Road, Southend—was jailed for using specialized software to bypass police monitoring so he could access indecent images of children. Addy appeared at Basildon Crown Court where he admitted six counts of making indecent images and one count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). It was reported that the investigation established Addy, a serial offender, was caught during a routine visit by the Essex Police Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) team.
The investigation established that despite being under investigation following a home visit in February 2019, Addy continued his illicit activity. The prosecution reported that during a second routine check on 11 December 2019, MOSOVO officers discovered Addy had installed software specifically designed to erase his internet history. Basildon Crown Court heard that the seized computers and hard drives contained images of children, directly violating the terms of his existing court orders.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Addy was a “persistent offender” who had been active for nearly a decade. The investigation established that in 2012, while living in Kirkheaton, West Yorkshire, Addy was handed a three-year supervision order after admitting 21 charges involving children ranging from just a few months old to 14 years. The prosecution reported that his deliberate use of “history-hiding” software demonstrated a calculated attempt to evade statutory oversight and continue his “predatory” digital behavior.
Judge-led proceedings at Basildon Crown Court concluded on 3 December 2020, with Addy being sentenced to one year in prison. For his actions in Southend and the “persistent breach of trust” reported, his computer equipment was ordered to be destroyed. The judge noted that Addy’s refusal to comply with monitoring necessitated a new 10-year SHPO and a 10-year notification requirement on the sex offenders register.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Essex and West Yorkshire, the status of John Addy as of April 10, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Sentenced to 1 year in 2020; served custodial term; currently under community supervision).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active until 2030 (10-year period).
- SHPO Status: Active until 2030 (Including strict bans on using any software that hides internet history, mandatory digital audits, and a ban on deleting browsing data).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Making indecent images x6; Breach of SHPO x1).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Basildon Crown Court; investigated by Essex Police MOSOVO team.
- Criminal Record: Serial offender (Convicted 2012 and 2020); Used software to wipe browsing history; Targeted victims from infants to age 14; Caught twice by MOSOVO in the same year.
- Origin: Southend, Essex / Kirkheaton, West Yorkshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Addy is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the Southend area. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his “sophisticated use of technology to evade police detection and his history of targeting infants”—his management is a priority for the Essex Police MOSOVO team. Authorities state that his history of offending while already under investigation identifies him as an individual who requires the most intensive tier of statutory oversight, including frequent, unannounced digital forensic inspections of all internet-enabled devices.
As a registered sex offender, the 75-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his 10-year SHPO is a vital safeguard to ensure he cannot regain a position of digital anonymity. Any change of residence in Southend or elsewhere, any installation of unapproved software, or any unauthorised proximity to children will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who demonstrated a “persistent and deceptive intent” to violate the law.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used “Specialised Software” to bypass police monitoring while already under investigation, do you believe that “Technological Evasion” should carry a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence to deter sex offenders from attempting to hide their digital activities?
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