A sex offender failed to notify police of his new address in Aberdeen because he was waiting for the “right time” to tell his girlfriend about his sordid past.
Daniel Higginson had been made subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act after being convicted of sexual assault by penetration at an English court on December 1 2017 and given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
The 29-year-old was required to keep police informed, within three days, of any changes of address.
But he kept tight-lipped over staying at his girlfriend’s parents’ house in Brebner Terrace, Aberdeen, because he didn’t want her to know he was a sex offender.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told Aberdeen Sheriff Court offender management staff were contacted on April 16 last year by police in England and advised Higginson was considering moving to the area.
Officers visited the Brebner Terrace address and spoke to the woman’s parents who “advised the accused had been residing with them since early January 2019”.
He added: “The accused had never notified the police that the address was a qualifying address at that point in time.”
Higginson, who had been upstairs at the time, was arrested and taken to Kittybrewster station.
He told officers: “If I notified, she’d know. I wanted to tell her at the right time.”
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Higginson, of Stoneywood Brae, Aberdeen, pled guilty to failing to comply with the notification requirements by failing to notify police of an address he was residing at.
Defence agent Stuart Beveridge said his client had fallen out with a friend he was staying with in Dundee.
He said Higginson hadn’t wanted to disclose the address for fear his girlfriend would find out “through embarrassment”.
He added: “She’s now fully aware of the situation, as are her parents.”
Sheriff William Summers said: “You were made subject to these requirements for a reason. It’s a matter of concern that this is the second offence of failure to notify.”
He fined Higginson £500.
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