Sex offender escapes prison

A SEX offender who repeatedly breached an order forbidding him to contact underage girls has narrowly escaped a prison sentence.

Carl Parker, 29, of Turner Road, Ipswich, was cautioned by police and made subject of the order in July after admitting having unlawful sexual intercourse.

He appeared before Bury St Edmunds Crown Court yesterday for sentence after breaching the restriction four times. He also asked the court to take five additional offences into account.

Peter Gair, prosecuting, told Judge Peter Thompson that Parker had committed his first breach within 14 days of the order being made.

He took two 15-year-old girls, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to the Party in the Park, in Ipswich's Chantry Park, then the trio returned to Parker's flat with a 15-year-old boy to watch a film.

On July 27, police stopped him with three 15-year-old girls and a 15-year-old boy in his car. That night, Parker took the teenagers on a camping trip to Bobbits Lane. At around 3am, the party left their tent and returned to the 29-year-old's home, where they stayed the night.

Hugh Vass, for Parker, said his client had not fully understood the seriousness of breaching the order.

He added that Parker had spent two months remanded in Norwich Prison – time which had hammered home to him the seriousness of his actions.

"He is an extremely naïve man who is behind in years as far as maturity is concerned. He has now learnt a salutary lesson. As the order will remain in existence, it is a Sword of Damocles which continues to hang over his head.

"He has learnt a harsh lesson for a 29-year-old from a relatively sheltered background, and one hopes he won't be before the courts again."

Sentencing Parker to a 12-month community rehabilitation order, Judge Peter Thompson said: "These offences are all far more serious than you seemed to appreciate in the first place.

"If you do not change your behaviour, in relation to 15-year-old girls in particular, you will end up in prison."