A ‘prolific’ sex offender has been labelled as ‘not the wisest’ after he crashed his car outside a police station and threw a banned phone into a nearby river before being arrested
A “prolific” sex offender who crashed his car outside a police station was jailed after being caught by cops throwing his phone into a river.
The bizarre chain of events saw Sean Royle, 40, involved in a vehicle collision directly in front of Maidstone police station, only to be spotted by coppers who recognised him from his previous crimes.
Royle, who is not allowed to use a phone because he is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, tried to chuck his device over a wall and into a river, but the desperate attempt to avoid detection failed epically when a detective spotted the hasty disposal.
The eagle-eyed officer quickly reported the incident to colleagues at the station, who jumped over the wall and retrieved the item before arresting Royle at the scene.
Police officials released a damning statement describing the strange incident, describing Royle’s actions as not being “the wisest option”.
Investigating officer PC Cat Cooper said: “Of all the places to try and dispose of a prohibited item, right outside of a police station would never be the wisest option.”
PC Cooper explained that Royle’s attempt to throw the phone away had alerted suspicion immediately, saying: “Officers spotted Royle acting suspiciously straight away and it soon became clear why, leading to his swift arrest and seeing him put back behind bars.”
Despite the odd nature of the arrest, officials were keen to stress that Royle’s crimes were incredibly serious.
PC Cooper said: “He is a prolific offender who believed he could ignore the strict conditions of his SHPO without consequence, but we will always ensure criminals like Royle are brought back before the court to answer for their actions.”
The cause of the car crash has not yet been disclosed by officials, nor has there been a suggestion of any injuries caused or fault of either party involved.
Royle, of Claremont Road in Maidstone, has charged with breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, August 17, to 12 months in prison.