A registered sex offender who dressed as Santa Claus in Newcastle city centre has been jailed after being caught taking pictures with children for cash.
Stephen Brown, 40, was parading near Fenwick's festive window on a busy Northumberland Street offering to pose with pictures of children while dressed as Father Christmas.
But the department store's security staff contacted police who were concerned about the stranger's activity on Saturday.
Officers arrived and discovered that Brown had been jailed for five years in 2012 for possession of indecent images and inciting a child to engage in a sex act.
He was immediately arrested by police in front of a packed Northumberland Street and was later charged with breaching the sexual offences prevention order.
The court heard how it was the second time Brown had breached the order since being released from prison in January 2017.
Brown will now spend Christmas behind bars after being jailed for six weeks at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
A court was told how Brown had previously encouraged a teenage girl to perform sex acts via an anonymous social media account and even threatened her when she refused to carry out his demands.
The schoolgirl contacted police who identified Brown as the user and arrested him at his home, where officers discovered a number of indecent images of children.
He was arrested and convicted of 14 offences including possession of indecent images, making an indecent image and inciting a child to perform a sex act.
Chief inspector Steve Wykes, of Northumbria Police, praised the teamwork between security staff at Fenwick and officers on patrol in the city.
He said: "Stephen Brown would not have looked out of place on Northumberland Street this weekend dressed as Santa Claus.
"There has been a fantastic atmosphere in the city in the lead up to Christmas and thousands of people were in the area doing their shopping.
"Many people would have walked by Brown and thought that it was perfectly normal for him to be offering people the chance to pose for a picture.
“But security staff at Fenwick knew something wasn’t quite right and have contacted our officers who have checked his details and taken decisive action.
“Brown’s SOPO stated that he was not allowed any contact with children unless he had the consent of a parent or guardian who was aware of his convictions.
“We believe two people posed for a picture with him but it was clear they had no idea he was a convicted paedophile and he knew what he was doing was wrong.
“He will spend Christmas in prison and I hope that sends a strong message to both Stephen Brown, and anyone else who is subject to a similar order.”
Anyone who has concerns about this incident can contact the Newcastle City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team by emailing newcastlecentral.npt@northumbria.pnn.police.uk .
