A SEX offender has been jailed for duping a mother to gain access to her young family.

Keith Bell portrayed himself as, “a chap who could be trusted among children,” failing to inform the Bradford woman of a conviction at Durham Crown Court, in 2013, for which he received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

When the woman discovered the truth, she was left, “seriously distressed” he concealed his past.

Bell, 28, of Ninth Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted two counts of breaching a SHPO.

Although Bradford Crown Court was told he had, “limited interaction”, with the woman’s children, Recorder Christopher Knox said he would be failing in his public duty if he did not impose a custodial sentence.

“You knew perfectly well that you weren’t to gain access to children through someone who did not know of your history.”

Jailing him for 20 months, Recorder Knox told Bell: “You conned this woman into a position where you had access to her children.”

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