Torquay sex offender broke internet device order

A convicted child sex offender from Torquay has been spared jail for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed nearly a decade ago. Rebecca Lunn, 34, was given a SHPO in 2016 after being convicted of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and pornography and six offences of possessing indecent photos of children.

The order banned Lunn from owning devices capable of searching the internet without letting police know. But officers found a tablet during a search of the defendant’s home, Exeter Crown Court heard.

Lunn pleaded guilty to breaching the SHPO and was given a community order with unpaid work. The judge warned Lunn to expect jail if there is a further breach.

In May 2022 police seized a number of devices from the defendant’s home. They included a Samsung tablet which Lunn had not informed the police offender manager about.

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It was clear Lunn had owned the device for a considerable time and had not told the offender manager during multiple visits. Police have not yet cracked the “complex password system” to see downloads. The prosecution was unable to say how the device was being used and there is no evidence it had been used inappropriately, said prosecutor Sally Daulton.

Lunn, of Rathmore Road, initially pleaded not guilty to breaching the SHPO but eventually admitted the offence.

Nigel Wraith, defending, said Lunn uses devices to play online games. Police objected to Lunn playing games via a virtual private network. The judge imposed a new indefinite SHPO with updated terms about Lunn’s access to the internet.