A SEX offender who has repeatedly breached court orders over Internet access and use is back behind bars after his latest lapse.

Roman Wilkes, then known as Martin Easton, was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and notification as a sex offender at Newcastle Crown Court, in April 2012.

It followed his conviction for several offences, including possessing indecent images of children, causing a child to watch a sexual act and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Durham Crown Court was told he was back at court for breaches of the order in 2018 and, again, the following year when he was jailed for ten months, after a judge told him he, “clearly had an unhealthy interest in young people”, describing him as, “someone who poses a significant risk, in sexual terms, to children.”

Wilkes, 41, of Cavel Square, Easington Colliery, was before the court for his latest offences, having admitted two further breaches of a SHPO, plus failing to comply with registration requirements.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said the defendant changed his name to his latest identity in July last year.

Mr Baker said the latest breaches came to light when police were informed by a woman that she had been in contact with Wilkes on two social media platforms, including a dating site, for a few weeks, on January 2 this year.

Police visited his home and seized his phone, analysis of which revealed 11 social media appliances had been inserted, mainly dating apps, between February and October last year, in breach of the SHPO.

By the time police checked the phone all the sites had been deleted, which, again, formed a breach of the order

Mr Baker said the defendant had also used two user names, ‘Geordie Viking 1980’ and 'Roman M James', aliases he was forbidden from using under the terms of the notification requirements, and, again, which he had failed to report to police.

“He had been repeatedly spoken last year about the prohibitions and clearly understood the terms, having been sent documents during 2020," added Mr Baker.

When interviewed Wilkes made no replies to questions.

Thomas Parsons-Munn, in mitigation, said it was the defendant’s own honesty with the woman he was communicating with, disclosing his previous convictions, which led to him going back before the court.

“He should not have been speaking with her in the first place, but still shows levels of progress he has made.”

Judge Ray Singh pointed out that Wilkes was only released from prison in January last year and remained on licence until July, so the offences took place from only a month after leaving custody.

Describing them as, “persistent breaches”, he imposed a three-year prison sentence and put in place a new ten-year SHPO.