High risk sex offender back in court

Adam Collier (25), who had been living with his mother in the Burnley area, moved out, but did not notify the police even though he was supposed to tell them of any change of address within three days.

Officers had gone to her home and she had told them Collier had moved out before Christmas, a court heard.

Collier was sent to prison for four years in 2004, for knocking a petrified pensioner to the ground and molesting her and was put on the sex offenders’ register. He is also subject to a sexual offences prevention order and appeared at Burnley Crown Court last December, after he was said to have made advances to a frightened schoolgirl in an alley.

Collier appeared before the town’s magistrates yesterday and admitted failing to comply with the sex offenders’ register, on or between December 19th 2012 and January 1st this year.

The jobless defendant, of Colne Road, Brierfield, was given a 12-month supervision order and was ordered to pay £85 costs.

Mr Glen Smith (defending) said after his release from prison at the end of last year, he had notified the police, quite properly, within three days, of two address, one of which was his mother’s.

He then found accommodation in Brierfield, it had no furniture and he did not want to be on his own there over Christmas. The defendant could not stay with his mother, so he stayed at friends’ houses for one or two days. He did not go to the police station.

Mr Smith said Collier went up to Scotland at New Year, travelled back with his girlfriend on January 1st and the day after they were both at Colne Road, when the police arrived after visiting his mother.

When Collier was locked up for the “horrendous” night-time terror attack on the 71-year-old, Burnley Crown Court had been told it had caused great fear among residents of Nelson, where it took place, at the time.

Collier had admitted indecent assault, had been assessed as posing a danger to the public and and had been given four years’ extended licence.

Collier was back in the dock at the crown court last December, after flouting an interim SOPO and was said to be at high risk of committing sex offences.

Under the sexual offences prevention order, he had been banned from having any deliberate contact with any female under 16, but was said to have approached three girls, two aged 14, and a 15-year-old, outside a phone box in Colne, within weeks. He was alleged to have tried to kiss the older schoolgirl and invited her to take part in sexual activity.

The SOPO was made into a final order by Burnley magistrates on November 13th last year.

Collier is not allowed to enter or remain in any retail outlet with two or fewer females working there. The civil order was said to have been made after intelligence to the police. The defendant was alleged to have touched a woman’s bottom in a boutique.

Collier had admitted breaching the interim SOPO, but insisted he had had no sexual intentions towards the girls. He had been given six months in jail, but was freed as he had served it on remand.