Kettering sex offender told children he was Santa and said one was 'on the nice list'

A convicted Kettering sex offender breached a court order after telling two children he was Santa.

Thomas Hunter was jailed in 2009 for sexually assaulting a girl and banned from having unauthorised contact with under 16s.

In September he broke the order nine times in three weeks, telling police: “B***** it, I am left with no electricity so I might as well go into prison."

But having spent two months locked up he’s now home for Christmas after a judge spared him from more time behind bars ‘by the skin of his teeth’.

On Wednesday (November 30) Northampton Crown Court heard the 66-year-old introduced himself to a shop worker and said he was a sex offender but had been falsely accused.

Hunter, of Lindsay Street, began to talk to a man with a young child and the shop worker called security.

Prosecuting, Nicola Patten said: "He said he was Santa and the child was on the nice list."

Police later visited his home and reminded him of his restrictions, with Hunter promising he’d stop. But days later he did it again.

A PCSO was on patrol when Hunter told someone to show her some respect. After telling her he was a sex offender she stayed around the area and witnessed him speaking to a woman with a young child.

He said to the child: “Hello, I’m Santa.”

Later that week Hunter, who appeared in the dock wearing grey prison issue clothes, spoke to four sets of children in the space of 90 minutes, showing them his wooden stick.

A week later he was on a bench when CCTV operators spotted him speaking to different children over the course of 30 minutes, who were wearing school uniform, about studying.

And three days after that he asked a boy at a bus stop why he wasn’t at school. Hunter denied that he was a risk to children when he was interviewed.

Ms Patten said: "He said he was just being friendly."

He was later assessed as being of a high risk of serious harm.

Hunter also failed to comply with sex offender registration requirements by failing to tell police about a bank card or fill in his annual notification. He said he couldn’t afford to get to Wellingborough’s police station.

Mitigating, James Wing said Hunter lost his job and was plunged into a financial crisis, bringing drug addicts into his home, and became 'increasingly eccentric' because he couldn't cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

He said: "He clearly needs a lot of help in establishing for good what constitutes acceptable and reasonable behaviour."

Mr Wing added that Hunter was sorry and that the only realistic way his offending would stop was if he took the Horizon sex offender programme.

He said: "Prison will do, in all probability, nothing because he won't have the opportunity to learn from his mistakes."

Recorder Stuart Sprawson told Hunter he was willing to give him a chance – just.

He said: "Leave this court with these words ringing in your ears. If you do not take this chance, if you breach the order...you will simply go to prison for that offence."

Hunter’s 10-month prison term was suspended for two years and he must take part in the Horizon programme and rehabilitation.