Sex Offender Jailed for Flouting Phone Rules
Jordan Larcombe, 26, from Southampton, was slammed with a two-year prison sentence at Southampton Crown Court on July 6. He had already been serving a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) after being found guilty of sexually abusing two teenage girls on the Isle of Wight.
Flouting SHPO with ‘Disappearing Messages’
The SHPO banned Larcombe from using any internet-enabled phone or device unless it recorded all internet history. Police must also be allowed to inspect his devices at any time, with no deleting of data allowed.
But during a surprise home visit on June 14, officers caught Larcombe messaging a woman on WhatsApp with the ‘disappearing messages’ feature turned on. This feature deletes messages after 24 hours, breaking his SHPO rules.
In one cheeky message, Larcombe even told the woman: “You can start flirting with me right away because I just turned on disappearing messages.”
Quick Arrest and Tough Words from Police
Larcombe was swiftly arrested, charged with breaching his SHPO, and locked up pending trial. PC Rob Thomas from the Western Offender Management team said:
“We take the management of sex offenders extremely seriously and invest significant resources to keep the public safe. Officers carry out unannounced visits where offenders can face tough investigative interviews to monitor their behaviour closely.”
He added, “We quickly found that Larcombe had knowingly violated his order. These orders protect the public and prevent re-offending. Those who ignore them will be appropriately punished. I’m relieved Larcombe is now behind bars.”
