Child sex pervert lied to get job at Blackpool hotel and met another sex offender in resort

A repeat sex offender lied about his identity to get a job at a Blackpool hotel while on licence from prison.

Patrick Downey, who used his husband’s name to get the managerial role, had committed 45 previous offences, including gross indecency with a child, and a judge pointed out that the hotel job “gave him direct access to children.”

Downey, 38, was caught out after police learned that he had moved from Merseyside without telling them, which was in breach of a court order.

He was traced to the three star Henson Hotel in Blackpool and when shown his photograph the proprietor said he had been working and living there under the name of Patrick Bryan.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that while at the tourist resort he had been meeting up with another registered sex offender, Ben Franklyn.

Downey, formerly of Wellfield Road, Walton, Liverpool, had been on licence from a four year jail term for making and distributing indecent images of children at the time of the offence with an extended two year licence and the court heard that he has been recalled to prison and is not due for release until next January.

He appeared for sentence on Thursday after admitting his sixth offence of failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Register involving not notifying police of his new address.

Jailing him for 32 months, Judge Gary Woodhall said: “You were living and working at the hotel as a manager under the false name Patrick Bryan which I am told is your husband’s name. You were clearly using that name to disguise your true identity.”

Peter Killen, prosecuting, had told the court that he committed the gross indecency offence in 2003 and four years later was made the subject of a life long Sexual Offences Prevention Order and had to sign the Sex Offenders Register after allowing a 16-year-old boy to stay at his home.

Mr Killen said that his previous offences included making indecent images of children in 2008 and 2014 and breaching various court orders.

John Weate, defending, said he had seen an opportunity for employment and took it and used his husband’s surname.