A convicted rapist is back behind bars after he failed to register his online aliases just weeks after he was released from prison and planned to abscond when his offending was uncovered.

Bobby Barclay was jailed for seven years and three months in 2015 for sickening sex attacks on two women, with an extended licence period of six years, when he was just teenager.

The 25-year-old was released from custody and placed in accommodation in Middlesbrough before registering his address, online alias Geordie Bobbie, and his mobile phone in October last year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how a random check on his mobile phone in January this year uncovered the defendant had set up a Snapchat and TikTok account using unregistered aliases.

Read more: Pervert jailed for downloading sick videos of children being sexually abused

Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, said when police discovered he was using the two social media platforms he realised he would be recalled on licence.

She added: “He was in the process of donning a rucksack and was planning to abscond.

“He told police officers he feared he was going to be recalled.”

The court heard how police seized his mobile phone for it to be forensically investigated for any further illicit behaviour but officers discovered nothing else untoward.

The 25-year-old, formerly of Gateshead, pleaded guilty to two breaches of notification requirement order from January this year.

He was just 17 when he struck twice against strangers within two hours in violent sex offences on the streets of Newcastle after drinking and taking legal highs.

In 2015, he was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting rape and sexually assault.

Barclay, who also admitted two robberies, was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders' register for life.

Gary Wood, in mitigation, said his client told police they wouldn’t find anything on his mobile phone but accepted that he knew that he had breached his notification requirement order.

Read more:

If you want to read more stories, why not subscribe to your Northern Echo for as little as £1.25 a week. Click here

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Barclay to 12 months in custody to run alongside the remainder of his sentence for the rape and sexual assault offences.

She added: “You have been recalled on licence so the sentence I will impose is academic, however, a sentence still has to be imposed.”

The court heard how Barclay was not expected to be released from his current custodial sentence until 2018.