Norwich sex offender released despite fears he’d re-offend was then found with more indecent images
Stephen Tweed was jailed for breaching his sex offenders order. Picture: Norfolk Constabulary - Credit: Norfolk Constabulary
A convicted sex offender given early release despite fears he might re-offend was found with dozens of indecent images of children, a court heard.
Stephen Tweed, 62, of Drayton Road, Norwich, was released from a four-year extended sentence in November, last year, and when police made checks on him just a few months later, they seized computer equipment, which was later found to have been used by him to download indecent images of children, Norwich Crown Court heard.
Lori Tucker, prosecuting, said he was released on bail while investigations into his computer were made but when re-arrested on April 19, they found a memory stick hidden in his car on which there were a further 82 indecent images of children.
The court heard that Tweed was jailed in 2014 for downloading and distributing indecent images of children and given four years in custody with a five year extended licence.
Tweed, who appeared via video link from Norwich prison had at an earlier hearing admitted downloading indecent images of children between February 21 and March 7 this year, possession of prohibited images on March 6 and April 19 this year, which included 82 prohibited images of children, and downloading indecent images of children on April 19, this year.
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Tweed also admitted downloading indecent images of children between April 1 and April 20. this year, and two breaches of his sexual harm prevention order.
Judge Maureen Bacon, who also sentenced Tweed back in 2014, imposed a nine year extended sentence made-up of four years custody with five years extended licence, and told him he posed a high risk of serious harm.
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She said he had been released early from the last sentence by the Parole Board despite his offender manager thinking he was of high risk of re-offending.
Judge Bacon told Tweed: 'Your offender manager was right. You present a significant risk to members of the public.'
She said that he was already on the sex offender's register for life and subject to a sexual harm prevention order and banned from working with children.
Jason Stevens, for Tweed, said that he deserved credit for his guilty plea and said that any sentence should aim to motivate him to attend courses that would be available to help him in jail.
