Sex crim back in jail for sixth breach

JAILED: Stephen George Rainham has been sent back to jail for breaching his extended supervision release conditions. PHOTO/FILE

A 40-year-old man who served most of a two-year-and-eight-months' jail sentence for sex offences involving young girls was sent back to prison for breaching his extended supervision conditions for a sixth time.

Stephen George Rainham, of Masterton, appeared before Judge Barbara Morris in Masterton District Court this week and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment for breaching the supervision order.

Rainham was jailed in November 2009 on grooming offences, including having unlawful sexual connection with a girl aged between 12 and 16.

He was released from prison in November 2011 after serving two years and was subject to an extended supervision order. That order was renewed on May 2 this year for another five years.

Before he moves house, Rainham must first get the permission of his probation officer, he must not have any access to the internet or be in possession of electronic equipment capable of accessing the internet and he must not be in the company of children unless with an approved adult.

He had previously been breached for moving to an unapproved address and four times for having a cellphone capable of accessing the internet.

In September, Rainham was jailed on his fifth breach and released on October 23 with GPS tracking. But, on November 19, he was seen using a mobile phone in Pak'n Save by a probation officer who checked the phone and found it was internet capable.

Lawyer Jock Blathwayt told the court Rainham had picked up the phone after it was discarded, that it didn't have a SIM card in it and wasn't capable of accessing the internet.

"That is the position he is in."

Mr Blathwayt asked that Rainham be given a final warning.

Judge Morris stood the case down and ordered the phone be checked.

When court resumed, she heard the phone was Wi-Fi capable.

The judge told Rainham the order was in place to help him, as he had been determined to be at "high-risk of re-offending".

"It's critically important you don't access the internet."

She said it was far safer for Rainham not to have a cellphone at all.