A WOTTON man rang his mother from prison, after being jailed for sexual offence order breaches, asking her to move an illegally held mobile phone that he had hidden under his bed.

Glenn Richards, 39, of Pitman Place, Wotton, was not allowed to have an undeclared internet capable device phone under the terms of a sexual offences prevention order against him.

But after he was jailed for four-and-a half-years in March for breaches of his order he contacted his mother about the hidden phone, Gloucester Crown Court was told yesterday (Thursday, June 15).

She handed it over and as a result Richards yesterday faced a new breach charge which could have resulted in him being handed a further jail term.

But prosecutor Janine Woods told the court she would not proceed with the charge if Richards simply agreed to the destruction of the phone.

Richards, who appeared via video link from prison, did not immediately accept the offer, however.

He said he would like to confer privately with his barrister Alistair Haggerty before he made his decision.

Before adjourning to allow him to do so Judge Jamie Tabor QC said: "He rings his mother from prison and says 'I've got a phone under the bed, move it.' She finds it and hands it over.

"He is a highly intelligent man and knows not only the facts of the case but he also knows the law.

"Today is the day, if he contests it and is convicted he will face a consecutive prison sentence."

The judge told Richards: "You apparently have absolutely no defence at all. It is up to you."

After the adjournment Mr Haggerty told the court Richards was content to give the police access to inspect the phone, which is biometrically protected.

But Mrs Wood said that was not what the court wanted.

Its only basis for not proceeding with the charge would be for the phone to be destroyed.

Richards then conceded that could be done and Mrs Wood did not pursue the breach charge against him.

Judge Tabor said he would formally find Richards not guilty when destruction of the phone has been confirmed to the court.

In March Richards was jailed for four-and-a-half-years for four breaches of his court order including 'contacting a child aged under 16' and 'failing to make available internet capable devices'.

The order had been made against him after he was convicted in 2010 of having sexual activity with an under-aged girl and a grooming three other youngsters.

Police say the restrictions on him were put in place "to protect some of the most vulnerable people in our society."