A sex offender branded a "high risk of harm" to young girls has been jailed after using numerous apps and sites without telling police.

Aled Jones, of Alyn Meadow in Mold, appeared for sentence at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.

The 36-year-old had previously admitted two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and failing to comply with notification requirements under the sexual offences act.

Prosecuting Thomas McLoughlin, told the court Jones was made the subject of a ten year SHPO and was ordered to register as a sex offender for the same period when he was sentenced for a sex offence in July 2020.

As part of those orders, he was required to keep police informed about any plans to join social media sites or similar apps, with usernames, aliases and passwords in order for officers to be able to check his activities.

But when police visited him in June 2022 and checked his phone, they found evidence he'd been communicating with two people, whom he claimed to be adult women, on WhatsApp.

He said the chat had only been online, but a picture of a woman on his sofa was found, and a message indicting that he intended to meet another woman in Wrexham that same day.

Further analysis was carried out on the phone, revealing he'd used multiple social media and dating sites in breach of his court orders - and that he'd used aliases not known by the police.

He'd also used a peer-to-peer, or 'torrent', filesharing site without informing the police - also in breach of the orders.

The Leader:

Jones accepted the breaches when interviewed by police, and blamed his mental health.

He also accepted he'd been acting in a "secretive and deceptive manner" and apologised.

The court heard he'd downloaded one of the social media apps prior to the court orders being made and carried on using them after, without telling police - making his breaches "more or less instant."

Andrew Green, defending, told the court there had been a lengthy passage of time between the seizure of the phone and its return to his client in June this year.

He added: "What can be said is, despite these breaches there has been no evidence of unlawful material.

"I submit that is not without importance.

"He voluntarily surrendered the device and cooperated with the police.

"Mr Jones is not an unintelligent man and before these offences he had a good life.

"He had a good job, working as an engineer with an aircraft company, and was married with a family."

Mr Green conceded the breaches had been "deliberate and persistent," adding: "I have to recognise that at the outset and Mr Jones understands the seriousness of the offences.

"Since June last year there has been no further breach, and no further example of inappropriate behaviour."

Recorder Wyn Lloyd Jones told the defendant: "I am entirely satisfied all these breaches were deliberate.

"And I have no doubt at all it was done somehow or other with a view to satisfying your own sexual gratification.

"It is sad to read the assessment made - you're a high risk of serious harm to female children.

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"You had a life with a family and a good job and you threw it all away.

"Your life was left in ruins, but that was your fault - you brought this whole mess on yourself, but also your wife and wider family."

Recorder Jones jailed the defendant for 16 months, telling the court a suspended term of imprisonment would not be sufficient punishment for the crimes.

"These orders run until 2030," he told the defendant.

"When you come out, don't even think about breaching them because the sentences will get longer and longer."