Sex offender jailed after repeatedly failing to register his whereabouts with the police

Michael Andrew Jones, 49, told police at Mold that he was of no fixed abode.

Mold Crown Court heard people with no address had to re-register that they were still homeless within seven days.

Otherwise they would have to register a new address.

But North East Wales Magistrates Court was told Jones had been put up on a friend's settee but failed to register that with the police.

Deputy District Judge Chris Johnson, who was told he had previously breached registration requirements, jailed him for 18 weeks after he admitted that offence between February 20 and May 2 as well as breaching his post release supervision.

"It is by no means the first time that you have failed to sign on as you are required to do," the judge told him.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson said Jones was subject to registration following conviction for a serious sexual offence in 1998.

In February he registered with police at Mold that he was of no fixed abode but then failed to do so again within seven days.

Interviewed, he said he had health, drug and alcohol issues and had not realised he had to re-register being of no fixed abode.

He said he did not remember things, was always drunk, wanted assistance with his drug and alcohol issues but was banned from the services because of his temper.

Jones said he did not remember registering himself as homeless with the police and was not aware he had to do it weekly.

The Mold court heard Jones had breached the requirements previously in 2003, 2001, 2014 and again last year.

David Matthews, defending, said his client had breached the order previously but he had not committed a substantive offence for some four years.

He had done his best to keep out of trouble.

His client had been diagnosed with quite severe mental health problems and struggled with them on a daily basis.

Mr Matthews said Jones was self-medicating on drugs and alcohol.

On his release from prison he had been directed to the Ty Gwyn hostel.

Unfortunately it had six beds, 10 people would turn up wanting a bed and it was a lottery who got one.

When he could not stay there he was put in breach of the requirements.

Then a friend put him up on a sofa.

No-one was at risk there but he accepted that he had not registered the address with the police.

His main difficulty was the lack of accommodation.

He needed stability in his life and it was his case that he had been begging for help with his mental health.

Jones found himself in a revolving door situation and wanted assistance to put him in the right direction.

The lawyer said a lack of resources in the community for people in his client's position meant places were rare and accommodation seemed to be at a premium.

"He accepts he has not complied but he would say that he has tried his best," said Mr Matthews.