Shocked onlookers contacted police after a registered sex offender was spotted ‘being an elf’ at a primary school’s Christmas Fair Santa grotto. The convicted pervert, 28, who had a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), was allegedly helping with the Christmas grotto by handing out presents like an elf does to children in Warrington, Cheshire. 

Cheshire Police have now confirmed the man was arrested at 3am on Christmas Eve and conditionally bailed – with the force stressing: “He will now be held accountable for his actions.” The north west England force have stressed that there is no indication children were at risk or attacked by the young man – nor have they given details about why he had a SHPO.

But it would not be the first time a sex offender has used the magic surrounding Father Christmas to either access children or place themselves in a position to sexually abuse women. 

Pervert Raymond Finn, 71, was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court of three counts of sexual assault after targeting two women while dressed as Santa working as a festive performer in December 2018. 

The court was told in 2021 how Finn had “smacked the bum” of one victim and pushed his groin into her. 

He then tried to pull his body against the second victim. He was handed a four-month suspended sentence and also given a SHPO and made to sign the Sex Offenders Register for seven years. 

In this latest incident, Cheshire Police report that the “registered sex offender has been arrested following reports that he volunteered at a Christmas Fair in Warrington.”

The force adds that: “At 7.10pm on Tuesday 23 December police were contacted by a member of the public who believed that they had seen a registered sex offender at a primary school Christmas fair in Warrington. 

“The caller stated that the man had been helping with the Christmas grotto and was seen handing out presents to children.” 

Following the reports, a 28-year-old registered sex offender from Warrington was arrested at around 3am on Wednesday 24 December, on suspicion of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) 

Following the arrest, Detective Chief Inspector Robert Pritchard, of the Sex Offender Management Unit, said: “While there have been no reports of any children being harmed, the fact is that 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. 

“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.”