Convicted paedophile was living in a tent in Leeds parks, court told
A paedophile who was ordered to inform police of his whereabouts was found living in tent in parks around Leeds.
Neil Lorimer was previously put on the sex offender register for communications with a young girl and having hundreds of child-abuse photos on his phone.
As part of the regulations, he must frequently register his address with the police.
But on November 30 last year he failed to attend the police station. He was eventually arrested in mid-December having slept in a tent in parks for more almost a month.
He previously lived at Moresdale Lane but said he was forced to move out, Leeds Crown Court heard.
The 48-year-old admitted breaching the terms of the sex offender register, along with failing to attend unpaid work and a rehabilitation appointment with probation.
The court was told Lorimer had been convicted at Leeds Magistrates’ Court in April of last year of engaging in sexual communication with a child and making indecent images .
He had sent a WhatsApp message to a 14-year-old telling her he had “naughty thoughts” about her.
The girl told her mother and the police were called. After his arrest, they found 348 indecent images on his phone.
He was given an 18-month community order, along with 80 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days. Lorimer was also put on the sex offender register for five years and given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
Little mitigation was offered for his latest offending after Judge Howard Crowson said he would release Lorimer, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He added 20 more hours of unpaid work to complete.
But Judge Crowson warned him that it “won’t be the same outcome” if he offends again.