Convicted sex offender jailed for failing to notify police of his whereabouts

Shafaq Hussain, 29, was in breach of two notification requirements of the sexual offenders register, Skipton Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday (July 7).

He failed to notify police within three days of the address in Skipton where he was staying temporarily after being released from prison on June 2.

He also stayed there for more than 12 hours when children under the age of 18 were present.

Hussain had been sentenced at Bradford Crown Court in June, 2009, to 18 months – later reduced to 16 – for six sexual offences with an underage girl. He was living and working in Skipton at the time, and the offences took place in the town.

He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for ten years, which included notifying police where he was living and having no unsupervised conduct with underage children.

Hussain had four earlier breaches, and a 12-month suspended sentence had been activated in the spring of last year.

Hussain, now of Midland Terrace in Keighley, admitted both breaches between June 2 and 11. He was sentenced to 12 weeks for each, to run concurrently.

In mitigation, Nicholas Leadbeater, said while Hussain had been in prison he had asked his probation officer to put a condition on his release that he be placed in a hostel, but it had not happened. On his release, he had persuaded a close relative to put him up temporarily while he found a permanent address.

Mr Leadbeater said Hussain’s relative had put pressure on him every day to find an alternative address, not because she was in fear of her children, but because she thought he would bring the authorities to her door.

He added Hussain had found accommodation in Keighley with the help of his uncle, and had immediately told police.

Magistrates told Hussain, now of Midland Terrace, Keighley, his sentence had been reduced from 18 weeks because of his early guilty plea. He will also have to pay a surcharge of £115.