Sex offender who tried to rape child fined after latest breach of court order

Charles Thompson, 72, who was jailed for 12 years in 2001, failed to keep his annual address check appointment with police. It put Thompson, of city centre High Street East, in breach of the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

He is on the register after being found guilty of two indecent assaults and a gross indecency charge against children, and pleading guilty to one attempted child rape. Prosecutor Stephanie Cook told magistrates in South Tyneside Thompson had breached the order six times previously, the last in 2020.

Ms Cook added: “As a result of his conviction in June 20, 2001 for sexual offences, this defendant was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely. One of the requirements is to complete an annual notification to attend a police station to confirm his details, including his address.

“He attended on October 1, 2021, which meant his next date was October 1, 2022. On November 11 this year he was interviewed at a police station, where he admitted that he had simply forgotten.

“Between 2010 and 2020 there are six breaches of the notification requirements. I would say this is a deliberate failure which is aggravated by his previous breaches.”

Thompson pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register. Some of his previous breaches have seen him jailed.

Harry Burn, defending, said: “It was something like five weeks after he should have notified. He’s been living at the same address for two years, so the police know where he is, he wasn’t trying to evade.

“He’s a 72-year-old gentleman and he says it’s just his age. It wasn’t a deliberate action, but I have to concede it’s not the first time he’s been to court for this. Perhaps he would have been better to get a sticker on his fridge saying the day.”

Magistrates fined Thompson £120, with £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge. David Johnson, chair of the bench, told him: “There are aggravating factors. You have failed to comply with this in the past.”