Sunderland paedophile who abused three children deliberately tried to get himself jailed again

George Croudace, 75, of city centre High Street East, handed his support worker a mobile phone he was not allowed to own, triggering his arrest.

His bizarre act of self-incrimination came after he was robbed of his life savings and ended up sleeping rough, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Under the terms of a sexual harm prevention order, he must inform police in advance of any internet accessible device he possesses, a condition he wilfully disregarded.

Magistrates refused to grant Croudace his wish – and rebuked him for his ploy to lose his liberty.

After being told he was now in settled accommodation they imposed a three-week electronically monitored curfew to keep him there.

Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur said: “The defendant has attended a meeting with his Probation officer.

“The police were tasked to attend during the meeting because he had a mobile device that he had not informed them about.

“When interviewed by police, he made full admissions, but what the police have highlighted is that he did it on purpose.

“That was because he wanted to get to prison, that’s his ultimate goal. I would submit it was a deliberate offence but that there was little or no harm.

“There is no evidence that he downloaded anything. This is his first breach of the order.”

Grey-haired Croudace pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm order, imposed by Newcastle Crown Court on June 25, 2021.

As a foster carer, Croudace, then living in North Shields, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years in May 2018.

He had pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three youngsters, who were not in his care, and making indecent images of children.

His sentence was reduced on appeal to six-and-a-half years in 2020.

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said: “I don’t know where to start with this, I’ve spent the last 42 years appearing at this court to keep people out of prison.

“He said that he was struggling. He said that was robbed, that some people in Sunderland took his bank card.

“They cleared out his bank account and he was left with about £3 and on the streets. The easiest thing was to buy a phone and get the Probation officer to call it.

“He thought the Probation Service would immediately recall him to prison under the terms of his licence and he would be away.

“I’ve now learnt that the Probation Service is not going to recall him.”

Stephen Burdis, chair of the bench, told Croudace people should not commit offences in the hope of being jailed, but said his crime was serious enough for custody.

Croudace’s curfew is from 2pm to 10am, and he must pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

:: A sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), previously known as a sexual offence prevention order (SOPO), is a court order which can be requested by the police, or court where there is a specific concern about an individual, so as to prevent a person from engaging in a particular activity.