Chatham Paedophile Paul Webster received a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) after his conviction on 1 September 2017 at Maidstone Crown Court for producing indecent pictures of children.
The SHPO imposed multiple restrictions on his internet usage, along with a mandate permitting police to examine his computers and other devices.
On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, two officers visited Paul Webster’s residence and requested that he produce any phones or laptops in his possession for examination. He provided the constables with a phone that lacked internet capability and asserted that he has no other devices.
A check of the premises uncovered two internet-enabled phones, one concealed beneath a pillow, eleven USB drives, and one SD card. One of the phones housed illicit photographs of minors, including some classified in the most severe category, and used a browser that did not preserve internet history.
Paul Webster’s conduct constituted numerous violations of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Officers discovered that he had obtained a bank card without informing the police, violating his sex offender notification obligations.
Authorities have accused Webster, residing on Railway Street in Chatham, with the creation of indecent photographs of a minor, noncompliance with sex offender notification obligations, and violation of a sexual harm prevention order.
Paul Webster entered a guilty plea at Maidstone Crown Court and, on Friday, December 20, 2024, the 56-year-old was sentenced to three years and nine months in incarceration.
PC Areolito Gashi said:
‘The whole point of giving convicted sex offenders sexual harm prevention orders and notification requirements is to allow them to prove that they can be trusted to live safely within our communities. This trust comes with the knowledge that police officers can visit their homes at any time to check they are following the conditions imposed on them.
‘Paul Webster has blatantly breached several prohibitions and as a result finds himself in prison. Other offenders in his situation should consider the likely sanctions should they fail to follow the restrictions on their conduct.’
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.