A convicted rapist has returned to jail after he was caught breaching a court order by accessing a number of dating services.
In 2013, Gary Dickinson was given a six year sentence for abusing a 13-year-old girl he groomed online.
As part of his conviction, he was handed a sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offenders’ register.
And this January, Dickinson was back in court again for breaching his sexual harm prevention order, after being caught using various online dating services.
According to prosecutor Jenny Haigh, Dickinson used the internet at his friends’ houses to access Plenty of Fish, saying: “His friend thought he was playing games, but he was using the dating site Plenty of Fish under the alias Gavin Price.
“He knew it was prohibited to use such a device without making it available for inspection.”
According to the Gazette, the Coulby Newham resident was also discovered to be using dating sites Fab Swingers and Tinder at his parents’ house.
Defending, Andrew Turton said: “The police would never have been aware of them had he not indicated he had used them.
“While offences in 2013 did have their origins in the internet, they were contact offences. These are not.
“There’s no evidence of him looking for children or those under 16 years of age.”
Sentencing Dickinson, Judge James Brown said: “In 2013, you pleaded guilty to what were very serious contact sex offences against a child who was 13 years of age.
“Six years in total were imposed on you by the court, which also made a sexual harm prevention order and required you to be registered on the sex offenders’ register for life.
“The purpose of making orders at the time is to protect vulnerable people from the advances of people like yourself.
“It is a serious and aggravating factor that you accessed the internet in the home of friends of yours.”
Dickinson pleaded guilty to six charges and was handed a 16-month prison sentence for each charge, which will run concurrently.