Sex offender arrested after helping out at grotto

A registered sex offender was arrested after reports he had volunteered at a Christmas grotto at a primary school in Warrington.

Police were called at 19:10 GMT on 23 December after a member of the public said the 28-year-old man had been seen helping at the Christmas fair and handing out presents to children, Cheshire Constabulary said.

The man, from Warrington, was arrested at about 03:00 GMT on Christmas Eve on suspicion of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and has been conditionally bailed.

Det Ch Insp Robert Pritchard, of the Sex Offender Management Unit, said while there had been no reports of any children being harmed, the suspect "should not have been at the event".

"As a registered sex offender, he is aware of his conditions, yet on this occasion he appears to have ignored them," he said.

"Thankfully, as a result of the information provided by the public, he has quickly been arrested and will now be held accountable for his actions."

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