A convicted paedophile’s attempt to overturn a ban on working with children has been decisively rejected by the Court of Appeal. Thorpe, represented by his barrister, argued that the current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) system was sufficient to regulate employment involving children. His legal team described the court-imposed restriction as an “unnecessary barrier” to future work opportunities.
However, the judges dismissed these claims, emphasizing the serious threat Thorpe poses. On July 30, Mr Justice Bourne delivered a firm ruling, stating: “The appellant is dangerous, based on detailed findings about his grooming behaviour, possession of indecent images, and internet searches containing extremely concerning references to sexually violent acts involving young or ‘teen’ girls.”
He added, “There is a pressing need to protect young girls from being sexually harmed by the appellant.” As a result, Thorpe remains subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which prohibits him from any work involving unsupervised contact with children.
Thorpe’s criminal history includes attempts to communicate sexually with underage girls online and efforts to incite children into sexual activity. The SHPO also monitors and restricts his internet use to prevent further harmful behaviour.
Child safeguarding experts have praised the court’s strict approach, highlighting the importance of multi-layered protections to keep vulnerable children safe from repeat offenders.
A spokesperson from a leading child protection charity commented: “This ruling sends a clear message: safeguarding children must always come first. SHPOs are crucial tools to stop offenders like Thorpe exploiting loopholes or gaining unsupervised access to young people.”
Thorpe remains under the SHPO indefinitely, with any breach potentially resulting in further court action and imprisonment.
Originally published by UKNIP.
