A REGISTERED sex offender has been given a suspended sentence after failing to attend appointments.

Taylor Carroll, 21, was convicted of three charges of exposure and one of sexual assault at Chelmsford Crown Court in July last year.

At the time he was given an 18-month community order, told to sign the sex offenders register for five years and wear an electric monitor for a curfew.

Carroll, formerly of Rye Hill, Halstead, appeared before Judge David Turner QC again on Tuesday after attending just seven out of 28 appointments with the Probation Service.

Probation officer Kevin Diwell said: “The order has not really got off the ground at all.

“The reason probation is asking him to be resentenced is so they can do some meaningful work.”

The court heard last year how two of his victims were retired dog walkers and two were young children.

After drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis, Carroll went on a rampage through Halstead for four-and-a-half hours, targeting his victims while they were in secluded areas.

Rakesh Sharma, mitigating, said: “The main difficulty is that he became homeless at that time.

“He had been living with a friend who moved to Ipswich, not taking him with her.

“He was effectively homeless, which created all kinds of problems with communication.

“He’s very keen to continue with the order.

“He has also had a very difficult time in custody, coping with the custody environment.

“It’s reported he did have an episode of self-harm where his cellmate had to intervene.”

Carroll is also serving a four week prison sentence for failing to comply with a notification order after being made homeless.

As a registered sex offender Carroll should have told police that he had no fixed address every seven days, but failed to do so.

Judge David Turner QC said: “I made an order and told you to comply with it.

“Your record is shameful. You have attended seven appointments.

“I rather hoped I dealt with you compassionately last time.

“After a trial I could have immediately sent him inside. I maybe made a bad call by not doing that.

“I’m not sure if he thought I was missing about.

“I was persuaded to help you get your life back on track and you have thrown it back in my face.”

Carroll was sentenced to four months for each offence, suspended for 18 months, and a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

All four sentences will run concurrently if he commits any further breaches.