March 24th 2024.
During his arrest, Steve Walsh, a convicted sex offender, expressed shock and disbelief when he was caught by police after fleeing over 250 miles. He couldn't believe the police had finally caught up to him. Walsh, 36, had fled to Scotland, claiming that he had been under attack from "vigilantes" in Merseyside. One of these attacks had even left him in intensive care.
Walsh had a troubled past, having been locked up for seven years for a modern slavery offence, two counts of sexual assault, assault with intent to resist arrest, and possession of prohibited items in prison. After his release, he was required to sign the sex offenders' register and was given a sexual harm prevention order. This order mandated that he notify the police of his address every seven days and inform them if he was staying away from the area.
However, when police found Walsh at a property in Fife, they discovered that he had not registered his home since December 2023 and had been out of contact with the force for two months. He was found with his bags packed and a large sum of cash, suggesting that he was planning to flee again. The prosecutor, Stuart Mills, revealed that there were children living at the property where Walsh was found, although they were not present at the time of his arrest. Walsh had not informed the police of his travels to Scotland or that he was staying in a home with children.
As he was being arrested, Walsh expressed his shock, saying, "I was nearly gone. I can't believe you've got me here." He appeared via video link from HMP Altcourse and was sentenced to a year in jail for breaching the sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with notification requirements.
During the sentencing, Recorder Kendrick Horne acknowledged that Walsh had been attacked and sustained injuries, which had caused him to fear for his safety. This fear had led him to move to Scotland and lose contact with the police. However, for two months, he failed to inform the authorities of his whereabouts, making it difficult for them to assess the risk he posed. Horne noted that Walsh had made several attempts to avoid detection, including moving to Scotland and having a large sum of cash to live untraceably. While he understood that Walsh acted out of fear, Horne emphasized that it was not a valid reason for him to move to Scotland and not notify the police of his location.
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