A SEX offender who tried to stop the police looking at his mobile phone has been jailed after he was caught downloading child images.
Christopher Wheeler was already on a community order a similar offence and for trying to contact children online. He was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which was supposed to enable the police to monitor his use of the internet.
He broke the order by failing to tell his offender manager about a new phone and a tablet and then refused to let police into his home when they went to carry out a spot check.
His devices were seized and a new child abuse image was found, leading to him being taken back to court for breaking the Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Wheeler, aged 30, of Myrtle Road, Exeter, admitted making, by downloading, indecent images of children and two breaches of the SHPO and was jailed for a total of a year and eight months by Judge Stephen Climie at Exeter Crown Court.
He told Wheeler that his flouting of the SHPO had been deliberate and must be met with a jail sentence.
Miss Beth Rickerby, prosecuting, said Wheeler was being monitored by police under a SHPO because of his conviction in August last year which led to a community order being made.
He was required to notify police of every internet enabled device but was found in May this year to have a Samsung mobile phone which had not been registered.
He also removed monitoring software from another device and refused to allow police in when they went to his home on June 29 and July 11, leading his arrest on the second occasion and discovery of illegal material.
Miss Rachel Smith, defending, said Wheeler struggled with the monitoring regime. He now accepts that prison is the only option but plans to stay out of trouble when he is released.