Persistent Leeds paedophile is caught for a second time but still avoids jail

Garden worker Edward Newbould Rance was already on a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) - designed to monitor his internet use - having been caught downloading abuse images in 2021.

As part of the SHPO, officers conducted a routine search at his home in November of 2022, inspected his internet devices and found he had been searching for illegal images, prosecutor Jennifer Coldham told Leeds Crown Court this week.

Seizing the devices, forensic checks unearthed 270 prohibited images of children. He was eventually interviewed by police in June of last year and accepted only he had access to the devices.

He later admitted a single charge of possessing prohibited images. Newbould Rance, of Bradford Road, Ilkley, has one previous conviction - the indecent images offence from 2021 from which he was given an 18-month community order and the five-year SHPO. He was also given rehabilitations days with probation, and unpaid work, both of which he had completed.

Mitigating, Sean Smith said Newbould Rance had since been diagnosed with autism. He added: “He knew he had issues but not a label to hang these issues on.”

He said he worked as a gardener but was struggling financially due to the bad weather. Mr Smith said his partner remained supportive.

Judge Christopher Batty conceded that Newbould Rance’s undiscovered autism meant the last order he was given was “perhaps not as effective” as it should have been.

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He added: “What is clear is that you have been searching for things you should not have been. There’s just enough to suspend the sentence. You now have a much better understanding to who you are.

“If you do anything like this in future, you will go to prison. There’s no two ways about it.”

He gave him a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, ordered him to enrol on an accredited sex offender programme, and 55 rehabilitation days.

He also put him on the sex offender register for 10 years, and gave him a new SHPO.