South Shields man sentenced in absence for failing to comply with sex offenders register
A sex offender from South Shields was sentenced in absence after he was refused re-entry to court.
A South Shields man who admitted to failing to comply with the terms of his sex offenders’ register requirement and stealing £308 worth of Next stock was sentenced in absence after he was refused entry into court.
Ian Houston, of Hedley Close, appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Thursday, September 10.
The 37-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to the seven offences he was charged with, four counts of failure to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register and three counts of theft.
In 2021 Houston admitted to two counts of exposure that took place between September 15 and September 20, 2020.
He was sentenced to a two-year community order, had to be on the sex offenders’ register for five years, was required to complete 35 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service and 100 hours of unpaid work in addition to paying a victim surcharge and court costs.
Dressed in a blue hoodie, Houston appeared in court again this week to receive his sentence in relation to the seven offences he was recently charged with.
He admitted to failing to inform police he had been released from custody twice, once in March 2025 and once in April 2026.
He also admitted to failing to inform police his home address had changed in October 2025 and March 2026.
These were part of the sex offenders’ register requirement.
A “chaotic time”
The court heard it was a “chaotic time” when Houston was released from prison, and he “simply forgot” to update his address.
The court also heard Houston had stolen goods from Next valued at £308 on Monday, February 2 and Monday, February 3, this year.
Documents show Houston stole nine reed diffusers and four boys gilets from Next at Waterloo Square retail park in South Shields.
The court heard Houston had suffered a relationship breakdown and this had spurred the shoplifting on.
As the magistrates’ bench retired to discuss Houston’s sentence, he left the courtroom and after a disagreement with security, he was not able to come back into the building.
Houston had to be sentenced in absence with his solicitor relaying the message to him afterwards.
In total, he was handed an eight week custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to complete 20 RAR days, an accredited programme requirement for at least 26 days and was given a six month DRR (drug rehabilitation requirement).