Northumberland child sex offender jailed after following victim on social media days after release

A child sex offender left one of victims terrified after following her on social media just days after getting out of prison.

Leslie Crossan was locked up for 12 years in 2018 after being convicted of a series of offences of sexual assault of a child and sexual activity with a child in relation to four victims under the age of 16. As part of his sentence, he was given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order banning him from contacting any of the victims.

Having served half of his sentence, the 64-year-old, of Kearsley Close, Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, was released from custody on licence on November 14 last year. Shortly after that, he reactivated one of his social media accounts.

On November 28, one of his victims looked at her phone and was horrified to see a notification telling her Crossan had followed her. David Robinson-Young, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: “She was shocked and panicked as a result of seeing the notification.”

The victim said: “I fear he will make further attempts to contact me. I’m truly scared of this man and what he will do. He has only been out of prison three weeks and has already intimidated me.”

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Crossan was arrested and when his phone was examined it showed searches had been made for the victim and he had sent a message saying he was going to try to contact her. He pleaded guilty to breaching the sexual harm prevention order.

Mr Robinson-Young said: “This was a deliberate breach which caused her serious distress. It happened only two weeks after being released from prison.”

The court heard Crossan has been recalled to prison to serve out the rest of his 12 year sentence. For the new offence, he was jailed for 15 months.

Assistant Judge Advocate General Edward Legard told him: “That must have been extremely unnerving and distressing for her. She was clearly shocked and panicked by what she had seen and read.”

Nigel Hedley, defending, said “there was no malice” in Crossan’s actions, adding: “He is truly apologetic. It’s very possible he will remain in custody for the next six years on recall.”

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