Sex Offender Jailed for Breaching Court Order After Secret Use of Social Media Apps

A convicted sex offender from Southampton has been jailed after repeatedly breaching the strict conditions of his court-imposed order.

Carl Bray, 46, of Union Road, was originally convicted in October 2023 for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. He received a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and was placed under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which restricted his access to electronic devices and online platforms.

Police carried out a routine check of Bray’s electronic devices in September to ensure he was complying with the order. Officers discovered that he had downloaded several social media applications—including Snapchat, Telegram, TikTok and Zangi—used them to communicate with unknown individuals, and then deleted the apps to conceal his activity.

A further search of his home uncovered two additional devices he was not permitted to possess.

Bray was subsequently charged with multiple breaches of both his SHPO and the Sex Offender Register requirements. He appeared at Southampton Crown Court today (18 November), where he was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

This case highlights the importance of regular compliance checks on high-risk offenders and the consequences for those who attempt to evade monitoring.