A SEX offender given a short prison sentence for failing to live at the home address given to police was helping his disabled father, a court heard.

Carl Andrew Wright, 25, was made subject to notification as a sex offender for five years following his conviction for four counts of possessing an indecent image of a child, on December 4, last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that Wright, of Collingwood Street, Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, was visited and arrested by a police public protection officer monitoring his movements on August 12.

Joanne Kidd, prosecuting, said: “It became apparent that over the course of the summer he had regularly been living at his father, George’s house, in Tudhoe Moor, near Spennymoor."

Miss Kidd said Wright’s father had physical disabilities and his son was assisting him in his care.

“He had been living there on at least 25 days over the previous few weeks and Mr Wright was unaware of any restrictions his son was subject to, regarding accommodation,” she said.

Miss Kidd said during the course of his police interview Wright “expressed confusion” as to the exact terms of the restrictions placed on him, but he accepted he had been staying at his father’s address, assisting in his care.

The court was told Wright’s conviction related to him befriending a 14-year-old girl, “grooming” her and encouraging her to send him naked photographs of herself, which were found in his possession.

Wright admitted failing to meet the terms of his registration as a sex offender, over a period from July 1 to August 11.

Andrew White, in mitigation, said he had to concede that Wright’s failure to comply with the registration terms, “cross the custody threshold”.

“He did plead guilty straightaway when the case went before the magistrates.

“He’s remorseful and regrets what happened.

“But, he went to assist his disabled father who was seriously ill and assisted in giving him 24/7 care.

“That was his motivation.

“There was no suggestion anything untoward happened while he was there.

“This is not a case of a sex offender ‘going to ground’.

“His father now knows, however, about his conviction and has broken all ties with his son,” admitted Mr White.

Recorder Jonathan Bennett said: “When you were convicted over the indecent images you would have been given a form and it will have been explained to you about registration.

“I take a serious view of this breach as it was not that long after it was put in place.”

He imposed a 12-week prison sentence on Wright, who will remain subject to notification requirements on his release.