Man, 39, sent back to prison for breaching sexual harm prevention order

A 39-year-old man who tried to hide his online activity by using a secret browser has been sent back to prison.

As a registered sex offender, Nicholas Waters, previously of Wellingborough, was expected to abide by very strict conditions set out in his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

A SHPO is a court order put in place to prevent a person from engaging in a particular activity.

As part of his order, Waters wasn’t allowed to delete his internet history and would be visited by Northamptonshire Police officers regularly and unexpectedly, so they could ensure he was abiding by his conditions.

However, when officers visited on the morning of March 8, 2023, Waters was found to have installed software on his laptop which automatically deleted files and was also using “incognito mode” when he browsed the internet, allowing him to keep his search history private.

As a result, he was charged with two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. 

He pleaded guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court in March and returned to the same court last week (May 9) where he was sentenced to two years and two months in prison.

Lead Investigator – Police Constable Mark Edkins from Northamptonshire Police’s MOSOVO Team said: “I am pleased that Nicholas Waters has been sent to prison for breaching this order as it demonstrates the seriousness with which the police and the courts take offences such as this.

“At Northamptonshire Police, there is no ‘benefit of the doubt’ or second chances when it comes to these orders. We take a zero-tolerance approach and seek to ensure all breaches are swiftly put before the courts.

“I hope this case provides reassurance to our communities in Northamptonshire and I know that we will continue working hard to ensure more people like Waters are jailed.”