In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Matthew Bushell, 52, of Cobden Road, Southport, Merseyside, was jailed for repeatedly flouting the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). On Monday, 2 March 2026, the defendant appeared at Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing. It was reported that when Merseyside Police conducted a surprise inspection on 2 January 2026, Bushell initially lied about the location of his Samsung mobile before confessing, “I’m going to get in trouble here,” and admitting he had factory-reset the device to erase his data.
The investigation established that Bushell has a “vile” and “appalling” history of non-compliance, with nine past convictions for 19 offences. Merseyside Police reported that the defendant was originally handed an indefinite SHPO after sexually assaulting two women in 2013 who had responded to his Gumtree adverts for cleaners. The prosecution reported that since his release from a hospital order in 2015, Bushell has breached his SHPO on at least ten separate occasions, including six times in 2024 and again in 2025, primarily linked to his “unhealthy obsession” with escorts and topless cleaning services.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Bushell’s criminal history in Southport dates back nearly two decades, beginning with a 2006 conviction for “dishonestly obtaining services” from an escort he left stranded in a pub car park. Liverpool Crown Court heard how the defendant’s perversion involved placing hundreds of online adverts on sites like Viva Street under the username “CoolBoy47,” inviting women to engage in “horny fun” or “consensual sexual entertainment.” The prosecution reported that Bushell had previously been jailed for 16 months in June 2025 for wiping his browsing history, yet he committed an identical breach just months later by resetting his phone while “intoxicated.”
Recorder Alexander Leach noted that Bushell’s record of non-compliance was “appalling” and characterized by a persistent refusal to allow police to monitor his online activities. For his latest actions in Southport, Merseyside, Bushell admitted to hiding his device and lying to officers before confessing to the reset. The judge noted that Bushell’s behavior—including harassing a female doctor and trashing cars in drunken sprees—demonstrated a “monstrous” lack of regard for court orders designed to protect women from his “predatory” interests.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Matthew Bushell was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 16 months in prison (March 2026).
- SHPO: Remains subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements remain active for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court following an investigation by Merseyside Police.
- Criminal Record: Multiple breaches of SHPO, sexual assault, harassment, and fraud.
- Origin: Cobden Road, Southport, Merseyside.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Bushell is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) at a high level of oversight by Merseyside Police and the prison estate. Due to his “prolific” history of targeting women through online advertisements in Southport, Merseyside, his management is subject to intensive scrutiny by the Public Protection Unit, particularly regarding his use of mobile devices and internet access.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Bushell must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his history of factory-resetting devices to hide his “predatory” search for escorts necessitates permanent and stringent monitoring of his digital conduct. Any further sexual misconduct or breach of his SHPO in Southport, Liverpool, or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system for an increasingly lengthier term of incarceration.
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