An Ipswich man who breached his sexual harm prevention order five times has been handed a suspended sentence.

Andrew Hart, 27, and of Thistle Close, Ipswich, was given a sexual harm prevention order in June 2021, which restricted his online activities.

This was amended in January last year to clarify how Hart’s social media usage was restricted, and that YouTube was classed as a social media platform.

At Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday, the court heard that in November of 2022, Hart was found to have a mobile home at his home which he had reset. This breached the terms of his order, which prevents internet history from being destroyed.

From February to April last year, Hart was found to have breached his order four times, which he did by making searches on Facebook and YouTube and by having the messaging app Discord on his phone.

Juliet Donovan, representing Hart, told presiding Judge Emma Peters that Hart had made no attempt to contact children and had not searched for inappropriate terms; she said he was simply lonely and trying to make friends.

Judge Peters handed Hart a total sentence of 20 months in total, suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of £1,000 for breaching the suspended sentence he was handed in 2021 and ordered to pay court costs of £340.

He will also undertake 180 hours of unpaid work, a 12 month mental health treatment program and up to 40 Rehabilitation Activity Days.