A convicted sex offender breached orders preventing him from being around children after forming friendships with their mothers without telling them about his past.

Sean Williams, 31, was locked up and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for sex offences against two 13-year-old girls in 2017.

After his release from prison, he formed friendships with several women who were unaware of his past and as a result, he was allowed to be around their children in breach of his order, Bolton Crown Court heard this week.

Bob Sastry, prosecuting, said: “All of these mothers discovered the defendant had changed his name and that he was in fact on the sex offenders register.”

He added: “These women are clearly upset that he had lied to them for such a long time.”

Williams’ order prevented him from having contact with children under the age of 16.

Mr Sastry told the court how the sex offender had breached this several times and was eventually interviewed by police in January this year - he pleaded guilty before magistrates on May 3.

Constance Halliwell, defending, pointed out no children had been harmed, that contact had only been brief and said Williams did not fully understand the conditions.

She told the court: “He has made some efforts, albeit not enough to meet the order.”

She added that Williams was “very sorry” that the breaches had occurred and posed little risk of reoffending.

Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Martin Walsh accepted no children had been harmed but said that the order was in place to protect the public.

He sentenced Williams, of Lindean Close in Bolton, to 12 months in prison - suspended for two years - and ordered him to complete 35 days of rehabilitation requirements.

Judge Walsh also applied another Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will be in force for another 10 years.