A 36-year-old registered sex offender from Plymouth has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Plymouth Crown Court after breaching the terms of his court order by attempting to groom a child online.
Scott Coombes, of Beaumont Road, Plymouth, appeared for sentence on Friday 2 October 2026. He had previously entered guilty pleas to two counts of breaching an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) following an investigation conducted by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).
The court heard that Coombes has a history of committing child sexual offences and was previously made subject to an indefinite SHPO. The order placed specific, legally binding restrictions on his behaviour and digital device usage to manage the risk of further sexual offending against children.
On 17 August 2026, officers from SWROCU’s dedicated online investigation team identified Coombes engaging in direct online conversations with an individual he believed to be a child under 16 years of age. During the exchange, Coombes attempted sexual communication with the objective of cultivating an inappropriate relationship. In an effort to frustrate police monitoring and conceal the illicit contact, Coombes deleted his mobile phone browsing history.
Under the provisions of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, all victims of sexual offences and child exploitation are entitled to automatic, lifelong statutory anonymity from the moment an allegation or inquiry arises. It is a criminal offence to publish, broadcast, or disclose any details, including names, addresses, schools, or photographs, that could lead to the public identification of a child victim across any print, broadcast, digital, or social media outlet.
Following his detection, SWROCU officers attended Coombes’s residential address and placed him under arrest. Forensic analysis of his seized mobile phone confirmed that history logs had been deleted in direct contravention of his court order.
Appearing at Plymouth Crown Court, Coombes admitted:
Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by deleting his mobile phone history
Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order by attempting sexual communication with a child with the intention of forming an inappropriate relationship
The presiding judge sentenced Coombes to an immediate custodial sentence of two years’ imprisonment. Under current UK statutory sentencing guidelines, Coombes will be required to serve at least 50 per cent of this term in closed prison custody before being eligible for release on licence under probation supervision, subject to immediate recall if licence terms are breached.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court reaffirmed that Coombes remains subject to indefinite notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register and must continue to comply with the terms of his indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order upon release.
Detective Inspector Dave Wells from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit stated:
“There are serious legal consequences for breaching a SHPO and I am pleased to see the Judge hand down a custodial sentence to him today.
“My team is across the internet seeking to identify and arrest offenders looking to sexually abuse or exploit children. We are committed to working tirelessly to bring prolific offenders like Coombes to justice.”
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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