A “DANGEROUS” paedophile who moved to Carlisle flouted a strict sexual harm prevention order by taking a bus trip to Gretna.

Paul Andrew Parsons, 62, who is not allowed to travel outside of England or Wales without giving prior notice to his police offender manager, claimed he was looking for an Asda store and had no idea that Gretna was in Scotland.

He was recently released from jail after serving the lion's share of a six years eight months sentence for earlier offending.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate court, the defendant admitted breaching his sexual harm prevention order on June 15, when he took a bus trip to Gretna without telling the police officer who supervises him in the community.

Prosecutor George Shelley said Parsons retained evidence of his trip – including his bus ticket – in a scrap book that he had at his Carlisle city centre home.

“He said he was not aware of the prohibition and felt ashamed,” said the prosecutor.

The lawyer said the trip had caused concern among the police officers managing Parsons but there was no evidence to show what he did in Gretna.

Jordan Parkinson, defending, said Parsons was released from jail in May, and was sent to live in what he described as a “doss house.”

She said: “He was released homeless on the May bank holiday weekend and he didn’t know what to do. It was sheer boredom. He wanted to go shopping and took a bus trip to Gretna, totally unaware he was in Scotland.

“He now understands that he needs research thoroughly in the future. He told me that he was trying to find Asda.”

District Judge John Temperley accepted there was no evidence had gone to Gretna for a “nefarious” purpose but he said: “I have great concern and as for this trip to Asda, it makes no sense either.

“Anybody in the hostel could have told him there is an Asda in Carlisle."

The judge told the defendant: "It makes me somewhat suspicious as to what you were doing in Gretna… Your record for offending, particularly sexual offences, is appalling.

“You have received several sentences in excess of seven years, which shows the danger that you pose to the public. You have breached your sexual offences prevention order in the past and would know exactly what is required of you.

“I don’t accept that you would not know that you could not go over the Border to Scotland.” He jailed Parsons – who is to be recalled to prison to resume serving his earlier sentence – for 12 weeks.”

Parsons was jailed in 2018 after he was caught out by a paedophile hunter’s sting. In an online conversation with a person he believed to be a 12-year-old girl, he said: “I’m looking for more than just chat. I’m looking for sex.”

He arranged to meet the ‘girl’ at the bus station and also contacted five people he believed to be young girls, making sexual comments and asking for photographs.

The court heard that he had dozens of convictions for sexual offences dating back to the 1970s. The sentencing judge at Lincoln Crown Court told him: “You are dangerous. You have a powerful and determined sexual interest in girls.