A CLEANER has been spared an immediate prison sentence for a ‘prolonged and deliberate' breach of his sexual harm prevention order.

Paul Ward, of Stramongate in Kendal, activated incognito mode on two devices to hide what adult pornography he had been watching, South Cumbria Magistrates Court heard.

When opening the case on December 11, prosecutor Peter Kelly said the 40-year-old defendant had turned on the mode because he did not want to be embarrassed by friends visiting to see what he had been watching.

The court heard incognito mode prevents a computer from retaining and displaying the history of internet use.

Ward was prohibited from doing this by a SHPO order made at Aylesbury Crown Court in May 2016, the court heard.

Mr Kelly said Ward also voluntarily disclosed to officers when being arrested that he was also in possession of an internet-enabled Fujitsu Tower Computer which was without installed police monitoring software.

Both items were investigated by police and the defendant was found to have committed no further offences.

In mitigation on the first occasion, his barrister David Mainwaring said: “He works on a zero hours contract as a cleaner of holiday lets.

“He has had time to reflect on these offences and he wishes to lead a quiet working life in this area.”

The court heard Ward also had a previous conviction of voyeurism at the Crown Court in 2011.

Magistrates imposed an eight-month suspended sentence for 12 months after they concluded the breach of his SHPO was ‘prolonged and deliberate'.

They also concluded that the offences were so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified.

Ward was also required to undertake 120 hours unpaid work as part of the suspended sentence, as well as pay £85 in court costs and a £187 surcharge.