In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Paul Jones, then 51, of Hayling Avenue, Portsmouth, Hampshire, was sentenced to prison for a systematic course of sexual abuse. On Wednesday, 5 June 2019, Jones appeared at Liverpool Crown Court, Merseyside, where he was handed a nine-year custodial sentence for molesting two young boys in Wirral after keeping a previous rape conviction secret.
The investigation established that Jones had a historical conviction from 1986, where he was sentenced to five years’ youth custody at Carlisle Crown Court for raping a five-year-old boy. Following his release, he moved to Tranmere, Wirral, where he groomed a 10-year-old boy and his 14-year-old friend. The court heard that Jones used alcohol, money, and pornography to groom the children, performing sex acts on them at his home in Prenton, Wirral, and during a drive to Southport.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Jones maintained his “twisted” behaviour for years, paying for taxis and giving victims cash for sexual acts. Judge Andrew Menary QC noted that Jones continued to minimise his actions, even while pleading guilty to 16 counts of indecent assault. The prosecution stated that the abuse made the victims feel like “scum” and led them to struggle with drugs and sexual relationships in adulthood. One victim described the impact of Jones contacting him on Facebook in 2016 as being “akin to being smacked in the face.”
The judge noted that Jones was and remains a “very significant risk to young children.” For his actions in Wirral, Merseyside, the court determined that a substantial prison term was necessary to address the “systematic” nature of his predatory conduct. The prosecution noted that the second victim was only identified after the first victim came forward in 2016, revealing that Jones had groomed both friends in an identical manner.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Paul Jones was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Nine years in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for an indefinite term.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court following a change of plea to guilty for 16 charges.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Jones is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Merseyside Police, Hampshire Constabulary, and the prison estate. Due to his history of child rape and the grooming of multiple victims in Wirral, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Jones must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Portsmouth, Hampshire, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that the indefinite SHPO is vital to restrict his access to children and his use of social media platforms like Facebook. Any breach of his registration conditions or future licence terms will result in immediate arrest and a return to Liverpool Crown Court.
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