April 2003

Police catch pervert

A convicted paedophile created a new identity to get a job supervising children on a pier ride.

Daniel Gregory changed his name to Christopher Adams and moved to Brighton after his release from a six-year jail sentence.

But he retained an unhealthy interest in young boys and used his new identity to land a job at the Palace Pier.

Police in Sussex were tipped off by colleagues in Manchester, where Adams had been living after his release, when he failed to turn up for regular appointments.

Officers raided his flat and discovered a photograph of a naked boy, nudist documents and material describing children’s games. They also found pier pay slips.

Adams, 36, who was previously jailed for indecently assaulting a 14-year-old boy, was back behind bars again yesterday after appearing at Hove Crown Court.

Adams was jailed for four and a half years after pleading guilty to two charges under the Sexual Offences Act and one of obtaining a pecuniary advantage.

The court heard he had lied about having no previous convictions when he applied for his job as a ride supervisor on the pier.

Ahmed Hussein, defending, said Adams admitted his feelings towards children had not changed since he came out of prison and accepted he needed help.

Mr Hussein said: “As a result of regular visits from the police, he felt that he would be persecuted for as long as he remained on the sex offenders register.

“That was what led him to move and to change his name without informing the authorities.”

Detective Superintendent Alan Ladley was a member of the inquiry into the murder of Sarah Payne and is now in charge of the supervision of people registered under the Sex Offences Act in Sussex.

He said: “Police forces and multi-agency public protection panels across the country co-operate closely and make rigorous checks to ensure that sex offenders do not reoffend.

“There is also a second level of checks where anyone applying to work with children can have their details verified with the Criminal Record Bureau.

“In this case, the Palace Pier would not have needed to carry out those checks because he was not solely responsible for supervising children.

“However, the fact that co-operation between police forces in Brighton and Manchester resulted in this arrest is a superb example of how well the system works.”