A CONVICTED paedophile from Deeside who failed to inform police that he was staying at an address where a child lived has been jailed.

Mathew Hughes, of Lower Brook Street in Connah's Quay, appeared before Mold Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, October 4.

The 38-year-old had previously, at Chester Magistrates on September 7, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements.

In 2008, Hughes was convicted of sexual activity with a child and was ordered to carry out notification requirements with police for an indefinite period of time.

That includes informing them of any change of address in which he is staying at for seven days or more.

William Griffin, prosecuting, told the court that the offence in question related to Hughes having stayed in an address where a child had been present.

He had been in a relationship with a woman, who had initially told police that Hughes had not been staying there.

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However, she changed her mind a few weeks later, claiming that he had 'threatened' her to tell them that.

The child had been present on the occasions that Hughes was staying at the address, the court heard.

On September 2, Hughes spoke to police and admitted that he had been staying there regularly.

It was Hughes' third breach of this kind, the prosecution said, and he was also subject to a suspended sentence imposed upon him in July 2023 for separate matters at the time of the offence.

The prosecution argued that this was evidence of a 'long period of non-compliance'.

Euros Jones, defending, said that Hughes accepted his guilt and that there was an 'element of burying his head in the sand'.

Mr Jones said: "He was wanting to live like a normal family, but that can't happen at this moment in time."

Sentencing Hughes, Judge Niclas Parry said: "Every effort has been made by the courts, but you've thrown it all back in the faces of everybody."

Hughes, appearing via video-link from HMP Altcourse, wept as he received a sentence of 16 months imprisonment.