A SEX offender jailed for failing to tell police where he was living repeated the offence on his release.

Blackburn magistrates heard Ashley Barratt had three days to either register his address or the fact he was homeless but did neither.

Barratt, 32, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with notification requirements. He was jailed for 12 weeks and ordered to pay £128 victim surcharge on release.

Samantha Hayward, prosecuting, said Barratt was registered as a high risk sex offender following conviction in 2013 for possessing indecent images of children.

He was jailed in November for breaching the reporting restriction and released on January 8.

"He failed to notify the police of an address or the fact he was homeless," said Miss Hayward.

Ian Huggan, defending, said his client had been recalled on prison licence to serve the remainder of his sentence which limited the options available to the magistrates. He said his client should have told the police he was homeless and then registered that every seven days.

"He is usually in the Blackburn area and the police didn't struggle to find him," said Mr Huggan.