Man, 20, breaches his sexual harm prevention order

A 20-year-old man has been sent to prison after he breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

On April 3, 2024, Brandon Washbourn, previously of Abington Avenue, Northampton, arrived at the Probation Offices in Bridge Street, Northampton, and during the visit, officers found evidence of him having deleted conversations on WhatsApp which was contrary to the conditions of his SHPO.

He had also begun a relationship with a woman without notifying police, or her, of his status as a registered sex offender.

The court also heard how he had had contact with a 14-year-old child on a video call despite knowing he wasn’t allowed to have contact with anyone under the age of 16.

Washbourn was arrested and subsequently charged with three counts of breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, May 31, he was sentenced to 38 weeks in prison.

Lead investigator - PC Mark Edkins from the MOSOVO Team, said: “First of all, I’d like to thank the team at probation for their work on this case. Their help has been invaluable and together, we have brought Washbourn to justice.

“I’m pleased we have secured a conviction here as it demonstrates the zero-tolerance approach the police, probation, and the courts take when it comes to sex offenders breaching their conditions.

“We will continue working hard to bring more offenders to justice and hope this case is a lesson to others with similar orders.”