Chesterfield sex offender who breached notification order is jailed

Gary Newton, 52, was made subject of a requirement to tell police of a change in living arrangements within three days for seven years following a 2016 sexual assault.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard Newton was released from Nottingham Prison on April 22, then arrested and recalled three days later.

He had been jailed after a January criminal damage offence.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop told magistrates this was the 15th time Newton had breached notification requirements.

However his solicitor John Wilford said Newton’s issues came down to “homelessness”.

He added: “When he is released from prison he is so depressed that all he does is walk the streets of Chesterfield and beg for money, he’s picked up and goes back to prison.

“It’s a depressing list of what he has to say about his life - he just wants to have some sort of purpose in his life.

“There are a large number of breaches but most of them are fairly similar.”

Newton, of no fixed abode, and currently remanded to Nottingham Prison, admitted failing to comply with notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

Jailing him for 26 weeks, a magistrate told him: “It’s not a good situation - this is the 15th breach of this order.

“We’ve no option and only a custodial sentence is justified - after your release you have three days to contact police and the probation service or you’ll find yourself back here again.”

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