A SEX offender failed to register a new mobile phone as he was required to do by a sexual harm prevention order.

Blackburn magistrates heard Jake Ethan McMahon-Bates had also deleted internet history from the phone and used private browsing mode.

McMahon-Bates, 19, of Orange Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to three breaches of a sexual harm prevention order. He was jailed for 20 weeks for the offences and a further 26 weeks for being in breach of a suspended sentence order.

Paul Sumner, prosecuting, said the sexual harm prevention order had been made in November.

In December McMahon-Bates was made subject to a suspended prison sentence for breaching the order. A police visit revealed a mobile phone which had not been registered. McMahon-Bates admitted deleting history.

There had been 28 searches in private mode for pornography sites.

Neil Howard, defending, said his client had bought a new mobile phone in March and had been very frank with the officers about his use of it.

“The site he had visited were not illegal,” said Mr Howard.

“There is no suggestion there was anything on that phone that shouldn’t be on it.”