Arrest warrant for Grantham man who breached ‘Sex Offender order’ suspended sentence

A judge today (Tuesday) issued a warrant for the arrest of a Grantham man who was given a suspended jail sentence for failing to comply with the requirements of a Sex Offender order.

Mark Foulston, 29, of Commercial Road, was given a ten month suspended jail sentence in May last year after he failed to disclose a new bank account to the police.

As part of the sentence Foulston was also ordered to complete a two year community order and 100 hours of unpaid work.

However the Probation Service allege Foulston failed to attend two unpaid work appointments and he was summoned to appear at Lincoln Crown Court for breaching his suspended sentence.

Judge Simon Hirst issued a warrant for Foulston’s arrest after being told he had failed to attend for the hearing.

Foulston had previously been sentenced to 12 months custody suspended for two years in January 2020 for breaching the terms of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

In May Judge Hirst told Foulston he did not accept that he did not know what he was doing when he failed to notify the authorities about his bank account.

“On the last occasion we met I told you to bring a bag for prison,” Judge Hirst had warned Foulston.

“I can’t imagine I will give you another chance.”

Previously the court heard how in February 2021 Foulston opened a new NatWest bank account and received a debit card but failed to give the details to the police or probation service, which he was obliged to do within three days.

The failure only came to light in September 2021 when Foulston confided in a support worker on the same day he appeared before Judge Hirst for a second breach of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

On that occasion the prosecution said Foulston received a replacement bank card in July 2021 which he failed to tell the authorities about.

Foulston was voluntarily interviewed by the police after making the admission to his support worker, and admitted there were three occasions on which he could have informed the authorities about his new bank account.

He pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to comply with a notification requirement.

Hal Ewing, who was mitigating for Foulston in May, said he had been suffering mental health problems during 2021 and had sought help from both the Crisis Team and a clairvoyant.

Mr Ewing told the court Foulston found the assistance of the clairvoyant helpful and told the authorities he left his last address because it had “bad spirits.”

The court heard Foulston had an IQ of under 70 and was also dyslexic.

“He thinks in a different way to most people,” Mr Ewing explained. “He knew he had to tell the police, but he didn’t.”

Mr Ewing added Foulston was “desperate to avoid jail,” and now had support from his father.

MyLocal Lincolnshire is the new home of The Lincolnite. Download the app now