A sex offender hid an iPhone between his floorboards after using it to FaceTime his mum and watch Amazon Prime during the coronavirus lockdown.
Mark Stobbart was banned from using the internet 15 years ago as part of a sexual harm prevention order, Teesside Live reports.
Police attended the 35-year-old's home in Stockton in order to carry out a review with him, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Officers received information Stobbart had a phone with internet, Jenny Haigh, prosecuting, told the court.
She said Stobbart admitted having a phone without internet but denied having another device in October last year.
Ms Haigh said: "Officers spent an hour searching the house for this iPhone and he continued to deny he had any other phones."
She said that one of the officers dialled the number for the phone they suspected was in his possession and they heard it ringing.
Ms Haigh said they gave Stobbart a further opportunity to produce the phone but he would still not admit to having it.
She said that he did eventually show the officers where the phone was hidden within the address.
Ms Haigh said: "The phone was in the corner of the main bedroom under the carpet and hidden between the floorboards."
The court heard how police discovered, during an initial examination of the phone, that he was using an alias name.
Ms Haigh said he told police that the order was 15 years old and he had tried to hide the internet phone under the floorboards.
She told the court in Middlesbrough how he said he used the phone to watch TV on Amazon Prime.
Ms Haigh said "He accepted he had breached the order.
"He said he had bought the phone a few months ago and that he has obtained internet a few weeks ago.
"It's registered under his friend's email that his friend controls.
"There was confusion as to where he got the sim card from.
Stobbart, of Caudwell Close, Stockton, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
Anthony Pettengell, defending, told the court that the order he was given is more "stringent" than he would receive now.
He said sex offenders would now be able to obtain access to the internet but would be given rules to follow.
Mr Pettengell said he had entered a guilty plea and fully accepts his actions were in breach of the order at the time.
He told the court that Stobbart was using the phone during the covid-19 lockdown.
Mr Pettengell said: "He tells me he could FaceTime his mother.
"Everything that people would be relying on through lockdown.
"There's no suggestion here there was any illegal motive for the use."
Mr Pettengell said that nothing illegal was found on the phone.
Recorder Allison Hunter QC told Stobbart that it was a pity that he found himself back at court for breaching the sexual harm prevention order in such "deliberate circumstances".
She took into account the circumstances of the coronavirus lockdown and the fact he was unable to see his mother.
The judge said: "This clearly was a deliberate breach; I do take into account the circumstances of the pandemic and the difficulties of public access of emails and internet.
"I do take into account here you were unable to see her and driven to take more drastic measures than are available.
"I accept there was no illegal motive."
Recorder Hunter sentenced Stobbart to 36 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months.
She also ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a sex offenders treatment programme.
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