AN ASPATRIA man has been given a suspended jail term after he twice breached a court's sexual risk order by secretly downloading and deleting social media software on his smartphone.

The court order was designed to ensure that Thomas Wilkinson, 46, had his internet usage closely monitored by the police and to prevent him from deleting the history of any internet enabled device he owns or has access to.

But police discovered that the defendant, of North View, Aspatria, downloaded and deleted Snapchat and Instagram multiple times.

Between December 29, 2021, and November 5 the following year, he installed and then deleted Snapchat 105 times, Carlisle Crown Court heard.  He also installed and deleted Instagram on 13 occasions.

This was a breach of a sexual risk order that was imposed by magistrates in west Cumbria in June of 2021, the court heard.

Prosecutors said his actions represented a “deliberate effort” to prevent police finding out about his use of social media platforms which are known to be popular with young people.

Sean Harkin, defending, said there was a good prospect that the defendant could be rehabilitated. “It’s suspected that he may have learning difficulties, though this has not been diagnosed,” said the lawyer.

Mr Harkin added that Wilkinson was a carer for his father.

Recorder Peter Horgan pointed out that the offending began just two weeks after the defendant was cautioned for an earlier breach of the order.

The judge said the defendant, who pleaded guilty to both breaches of his order, had accepted being “deceptive.” “You say it was boredom," the Recorder told Wilkinson.

“I don’t accept that it was boredom. This order was put in place for a reason and I don’t accept that it was simply [because of] boredom that you accessed these various websites; you repeatedly demonstrated a lack of transparency and active deception.

“That accurately summarises what you were doing over the course of some months.” The judge also noted the defendant’s role as a carer for three people and that he suffered from depression.

Having considered all matters, said the judge, he had decided to step back from custody so that Wilkinson can work with the Probation Service to change his behaviour. The Recorder imposed 16 months jail, suspended for two years.

The defendant must complete 160 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity days as part of his sentence. The defendant’s sexual risk order is to continue for five years and he is already on the Sex Offenders’ Register.