A CONVICTED rapist was found to have been breaching requirements of the sex offenders register for over four years.

Blackburn magistrates heard Hugh Gerrard Needham regularly stayed at his partner’s home in Birmingham and had never informed the police.

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And inquiries revealed that for several years he had been staying at the house when a teenage girl was also living there.

Needham, 56, of Sted Terrace, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to comply with notification requirements, failing to register his address and being in the same house as a person under the age of 18.

He was committed on bail to Preston Crown Court to be sentenced on April 3.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said police who carried out a compliance visit questioned him about any relationships he may have. He said he wasn’t in a relationship and denied having access to a car.

When officers checked a car parked near his house they found it registered to a woman who lived in Yardley, Birmingham, and Needham was the only person insured to drive it. Checks on his phone showed he had been in Birmingham for periods of more than seven days and had not registered this with the police.

“When police went to an address in Birmingham he was there but refused to open the door and officers eventually had to force entry,” said Mr Robinson.

Needham later admitted staying at the address for seven years and that he had known the young girl since she was 12 years old.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client understood that two different limbs of the order had been breached over a period of time.

“He understands the matter will go to the crown court to be sentenced,” said Mr Price.