A POWYS sex offender with an ‘obsession for life-size dolls and Lego’ was spared jail after breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Shaun Jones, 54 and of Temple Street in Llandrindod, appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Cown Court after pleading guilty in a lower court to breaching the SHPO with which he was issued in 2018.

Judge Jeremey Jenkins heard that in June 2023, Jones was visited by police where he admitted accessing a website called Bebe that sold life-size baby dolls with adult genitalia and also deleting his history, which put him in breach of the order.

READ MORE: Llandrindod sex offender to be sentenced at crown court

Judge Jenkins also heard that Jones had a history of sex offences against children, including indecent assault of under 14s at Mold Crown Court in 1997 plus further breaches of orders.

The 2018 SHPO was made for nine years, which meant his offence in 2023 put him in breach, and was issued when he was witnessed downloading images from a library in Llandrindod to a USB stick.

The prosecution added that Jones did not think he posed a risk to children.

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However, in his defence, the court heard that Jones had a ‘childlike obsession’ with life size dolls that he viewed as a substitute family, and with which he conducted conversation "because he is incredibly lonely".

Judge Jenkins was also told that he was obsessed with Lego "which is highly unusual for a 54-year-old man" and that he spent his money on that rather than food for himself.

His defence also highlighted that he had PTSD from childhood abuses.

Sentencing him, Judge Jenkins said the breach was serious enough to warrant a custodial sentence but that he was prepared to suspend it.

He added: “You accessed an unusual site which displayed life-sized dolls with adult genitalia.

“You deleted the history of looking at this site which put you in breach of this order.

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“What I have read about you, it seems to me that I either send you to custody for a short period where you get no help or put you in the community where you get the help that in my view you so desperately need.

“I will do that and those terms have to be strictly adhered to and if you do come back to me on a breach, you will go to jail.”

Jones was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years, and will be referred to the Lucy Faithful Foundation, and pay £150 in costs.