Convicted Leeds paedophile banned from keeping internet phone caught out - but escapes jail again

Mark Hardacre was at work when officers turned up on June 12 for a routine inspection permitted under the terms of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) he was given for a previous conviction of downloading child-abuse images.

The 34-year-old denied having a phone, but when officers rang a number they knew he had previously used, the phone in his jacket pocket rang, which was consequently answered by one of his colleagues, prosecutor Ryan Donoghue told Leeds Crown Court.

He was arrested for breach of his SHPO, and following an analysis of the device, police found he was using a Tor browser app, which prevented his internet history being retained – a further breach of the SHPO.

They also found three child-abuse images on the device, which were deemed as category A – the most serious abuse.

Hardacre, of Hallfield Road, Wetherby, admitted breaches of the SHPO and making indecent images. The court heard he had previous convictions including the making of indecent images, for which he received a suspended 11-month sentence and the SHPO at Leicester Crown Court in March last year.

Mitigating, Maryam Ahmed said that after that conviction, he was not given an opportunity to address his problems on a sex offender programme. She said: “He has admitted what he has done, and knows it was wrong. There are many who come before the courts and are given the chance to remain in the community.

"This defendant can’t say the court has not given him a chance, but there’s been no opportunity to be rehabilitated.”

Judge Robin Mairs told Hardacre: “It’s clear you have a sexual interest in children. That’s indisputable. It led you to search for children online. They are real children who are hurt, damaged and abused and that’s what makes these offences so serious.

"But the public is better served by putting you on sex offender programme.”

He gave him a 24-month jail sentence, suspended for 24 months, ordered him to enrol on the accredited programme, 45 rehabilitation days, gave him another 10-year SHPO and put him on the sex offender register for 10 years.