A MAN with a history of sex offences against children has been sentenced to six months in prison for failing to report social media accounts to police.
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The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to comply with reporting obligations in Armidale Local Court on Monday.
He is on the Child Protection Register as a result of his previous convictions.
Defence solicitor Nick Forrest said alcohol abuse had left the man with concerns about his short term memory.
On August 2, the accused signed a document with his change of address at Armidale Police Station.
He did not disclose any other new information and almost three weeks later detectives became aware of other Facebook, Snapchat and Gmail accounts.
As a registered person, the man is required to tell police about any changes to his address, vehicle, club memberships, personal appearance, travel, phones, emails and social media accounts.
Magistrate Michael Holmes said the community has an expectation that these types of offenders comply with reporting obligations.
You need to get the message and others need to get the message that these orders are to be complied with.
- Magistrate Michael Holmes
“All he needed to do is go over to the police station, see his case manager and say Best Employment wants me on the internet for a job - there’s no problem and he’s failed to so,” he said.
“A poor memory is not an excuse for failure to comply with these orders.
“You need to get the message and others need to get the message that these orders are to be complied with.”
The Express cannot publish the man’s name as it would identify his victim.
Police prosecutor Jim MacDonald said it is a very serious matter.
“The prosecution’s view is that he is seriously looking at a term of imprisonment,” Sergeant MacDonald said.
“He’s not disclosing these accounts and it’s serious, given the matter he is on the register for.”
The man was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, six months non-parole for each of the three offences, to be served concurrently.