An elderly sex offender has avoided jail after breaching a court order by staying overnight in a Hamilton pub without notifying police.
Details of the Breach
William Powell, 85, admitted violating a sexual offences prevention order when he booked into the pub without approval from his risk manager. The order, imposed in County Antrim in October 2020 following a 28-month jail sentence for sex offences, prohibited him from moving house or staying overnight away from home without prior consent.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that police visited a house in Motherwell in February last year to check on another sex offender. Powell was present and claimed he was helping the individual move in. He told officers he was homeless and intended to stay with that person.
Police checks revealed Powell's criminal background, and authorities in Northern Ireland were unaware of his travel to Scotland. It later emerged that he had arranged an overnight stay at a pub.
Court Proceedings
Defence lawyer Ian Scott stated that Powell has since returned to Northern Ireland and secured a new home in Belfast, adding that he has no other outstanding offences.
Sheriff Kevin McCallum KC noted Powell's at least four convictions of a sexual nature, describing him as not a one-off offender. He emphasized the seriousness of breaching the order, which can lead to up to five years in prison, but acknowledged the unusual circumstances.
The sheriff remarked: “This was provoked by a housing crisis that has since been sorted. He is of considerable age and was in this jurisdiction for only a short period.”
Given Powell's good behaviour since pleading guilty in December, the sheriff decided to admonish him, allowing him to walk free.
