A CONVICTED sex offender failed to register with police within three days of being released from custody.

Blackburn magistrates heard when police went to his home to see why they discovered an internet history cleaning application had been installed on his phone which was in breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

Mark Stephen Steel, 59, of Edleston Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He was jailed for 17 weeks.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said when Steel failed to register following his release from custody an officer went to his address. He saw a smart phone on charge and when he examined the phone saw an application called "SD Maid."

"That application is designed to remove or clean internet history which he is prohibited from doing by the sexual harm prevention order," said Mr Robinson.

Gareth Price, defending, said Steel had been on remand until a district judge made him subject to a community order for breach of the sexual harm prevention order. When he was released from custody Steel had spoken to the probation service and kept his first appointment with them.

"He had been in touch with the council and the benefits agency as he tried to re-establish himself in the community ," said Mr Price.

He said SD Maid was described as being designed to improve phone performance and prolong battery life.

"There is no suggestion that anything has been deleted from his phone," said Mr Price. "The app hadn't been used and he says he has had it on his phone before and the police have not told him he couldn't."