January 2020

Sex offender caught using computer at Norwich Library

A convicted sex offender was caught breaching his order by using one of the computers at Norwich Millennium Library to access his Facebook account.

Jonathan Baigent, 43, was meant to only use computers which kept a record of his internet use but an officer found him using a computer at Norwich library which did not allow for such checks to be made, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Robert Warner, prosecuting, said that although Baigent had gone on his Facebook account, there was not any evidence of him talking to any children although he had sent some sexual messages.

Baigent admitted he should have checked before using the library computer.

Mr Warner said that Baigent had 15 convictions for 33 offences, mainly for sexual offences including indecent exposure and making obscene phone calls, with his last conviction being in 2018 when he was given 12 months for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Baigent, who had been staying in a hostel in Norwich, admitted breaching his sexual harm prevention order on January 15 last year, and was given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

He was also ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work.

Jonathan Goodman, for Baigent, said that he had just been released from Norwich prison and hoped to return to his home in Ipswich but there had been “scurrilous” messages posted on Facebook about him, which meant he was advised to stay in a Norwich hostel.

He said that he had gone to The Forum to use the computer and had not given any thought about whether it would breach his order.

“He did not check and it is that lack of a check that has brought him to be here today.”

He said he was accessing Facebook in an open plan area and said: “He was not doing anything unlawful. It is not as if he had borrowed someone’s laptop.”

He said that Baigent had since completed a course to reduce his risk and was trying to break his past habits.

July 2018

Convicted paedophile caught by paedophile hunters

A convicted paedophile has been jailed after he sent sexually explicit messages to several children online

Jonathan Baigent, 41 of Ipswich appeared at court where he pleaded guilty to sexual communication with a child and for breaching a previous sexual harm prevention order.

The court was told that Baigent had contacted the online profile of a 14 year old girl. He proceeded to send sexual messages and arranged a meet with the child in the hope of sexual intercourse with the girl

However, when Baigent turned up at the meet location, he was greeted by a combination of paedophile hunting teams: ‘Cobra’, ‘J4K’ and Storm. The teams questioned him on his internet activity and his previous convictions.

Baigent was told that the girls he had spoken to, were in fact adult decoys from ‘Decoy Central’. The police were called and Baigent was arrested

The judge sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment for breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and eight months for the sexual communication charge

• In 2009, he was jailed for 18 months for exposing his genitals to a female on a train

• In 2007 and he was jailed for two years for engaging in sexual activity in the presence of three children under 13-years-old.

• Given an ASBO. But breached it twice within 2 years

January 2009

Suffolk flasher jailed for exposing himself to female on train

Jonathan Baigent “shocked and upset” the 22-year-old travelling on a train between London and Beccles by exposing himself while he sat opposite her.

Baigent, 32, had a history of sexual misconduct Ipswich Crown Court heard and had an anti-social behaviour order preventing him from using sexual language or gestures towards any female.

Naomi Turner, prosecuting, said the woman had been sitting alone on November 6 last year playing a computer game when she realised Baigent had sat down opposite her. She the realised he had exposed himself.

Mrs Turner said: “She was shocked, very upset and angry about what she had seen. It made her feel vulnerable travelling alone.”

Baigent, of no fixed address, told police he had been “fiddling with his shirt and she may have seen it through his boxer shorts”.

The court heard that South East Suffolk Magistrates’ made a two year ASBO in 2007 and he was jailed for two years for engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 13-years-old.

In August 2008 he breached the ASBO and Baigent admitted breaching it again on the train in November.

Judge Neil McKittrick said: “This offence was aggravated because it was on a train, because it was a confined place and this woman was stuck there. I have no doubt you picked your place, your time and you picked your victim.”

Baigent was sent to prison for 18 months.

A new ASBO was made for two years from his release date under the same conditions as before.

September 2007

Sex offender was carrying a knife

A pervert who indecently exposed himself to three young school girls was arrested nearby in possession of a knife, a court has been told.

The two 12 year-old girls and a friend aged 11 were walking to school through Ashley Park, Chorley, in March when confronted by Jonathan Baigent, who was living rough in the area.

Preston Crown Court prosecutor Timothy Ashmole said the defendant indecently exposed himself to the girls who immediately contacted police.

Baigent was arrested on Clifford Street, Chorley, and was carrying a kitchen knife. He said it was for “protection” and insisted he would never have used it to commit offences.

After his arrest it was established that Baigent had been the subject of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order from Ipswich. Magistrates there had passed the ASBO under which he was prohibited from approaching directly or indirectly any female using sexual language or gestures.

Two days before the indecent exposure incident he had approached an 11-year-old girl at a bus stop on Market Street, Adlington and asked her a question of a sexual nature, in breach of the ASBO, explained Mr Ashmole.

Baigent also made random indecent phone calls when he asked females about what they were wearing.

The defendant, 30, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to three charges of engaging in sexual activity in front of children, possession of a bladed instrument, breach of the ASBO and making indecent phone calls.

He was jailed for two years and told he must register under sex offenders legislation for the next 10 years.

Judge Alan Taylor said it was a worry the offences were escalating and there was a risk he would carry out more.