Police check catches Northampton sex offender messaging kids as young as 10 after release from prison

A Northampton sex offender is back in prison after being caught deleting messages on his phone sent to kids as young as 10.

Police knocked on John Richards’ door in April this year as part of a routine check following his release from jail.

Officers found the 43-year-old apparently deleting data on his mobile phone.

Later inspection of the device found messages and indecent images of children.

An investigation by PC Gemma Glover and DS Ollie McNally, ending in a 20-hour shift, identified Richards’ contacts including another registered sex offender from outside the county who has since been recalled to prison.

Richards was sentenced to three years at Northampton Crown Court on Thursday (July 14) after being convicted of three attempted breaches of a sexual harm prevention order, two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of making an indecent photograph.

Richards’ offender manager, PC Dani Wilton of the Northamptonshire Police management of sexual or violent offenders (MOSOVO) team, said: “Richards is a high-risk sex offender and so I am really pleased to see him back behind bars, away from children.

“This was a brilliant result for the MOSOVO team and I hope it shows the Force’s proactivity and dynamic approach to the management of registered sex offenders.

“Protecting children and vulnerable people from harm is why we come to work. This team has such a passion for safeguarding and I hope it shows through cases like this.”