Lancashire sex offender caught with indecent images of children after suspicious behaviour raises concerns
A registered sex offender from Lancashire was caught with indecent images of children after his suspicious behaviour raised concerns with police.
The investigation began when officers carried out a routine visit to David Hawkyard in July 2025,
Detectives noted he was acting suspiciously and delaying handing over his mobile devices.
Upon examination, indecent images of children were discovered, prompting his arrest on suspicion of breaching his SHPO.
Hawkyard, 24, of Lady Acre, Bamber Bridge, admitted three charges of making indecent images of children and one charge of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
He appeared at Preston Crown Court this week and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), allowing police to closely monitor his online activity after release.
Detective Constable Pippa Jackson, of the South ICE team, said: “We believe Hawkyard poses a significant risk if his behaviour continued to escalate and we welcome this sentence.”
Lancashire Police’s ICE teams work to identify and investigate online child exploitation offences, safeguard vulnerable children and prevent escalation in offending.
They act on intelligence where indecent images have been uploaded online, gathering digital evidence to prosecute offenders and prevent future contact offences against children.