A registered sex offender from the Isle of Sheppey has been sentenced to an extended prison term of eight years and three months after admitting to a litany of offences, including targeting young girls online and multiple breaches of court orders.
Paul Knight, 61, from Minster-on-Sea, pleaded guilty to all charges at Maidstone Crown Court. His conviction stems from a series of violations of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and Sex Offender Notification Requirements (SONR) imposed upon him in 2021, following his guilty plea to earlier sexual offences involving children.
The stringent conditions of Knight’s SHPO and SONR included restrictions on his interactions with young people, use of the internet and phones, and possession of bank cards. He was also mandated to install monitoring software on all his internet-enabled devices.
The investigation into Knight’s continued illicit activities began on November 10, 2023, when officers conducted an unannounced visit to his home. A delay in him answering the door immediately raised suspicions. Upon inspection, Knight presented a mobile phone, claiming it was his only device, but investigators suspected he had bypassed the required monitoring software and he was promptly arrested.
A subsequent search of his property uncovered a hidden iPhone in a wardrobe, which Knight claimed did not belong to him. Officers also discovered undeclared bank cards.
The following day, Knight was charged with five breaches of his SHPO, three breaches of his SONR, and possessing indecent images of a child. He was remanded in custody, and both of his phones were sent for forensic examination.
Digital forensic analysis of the iPhone revealed that Knight had been communicating with multiple young girls online for several months. These communications included sexually explicit conversations, and he had sent indecent photos of himself while soliciting illegal images in return. A total of 129 indecent images of children, including one of the most serious category, were found on his phones.
As a result of the forensic findings, Knight faced further charges, including 13 counts of causing and attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of making indecent images of children. He pleaded guilty to all indictments.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, Knight was handed an extended sentence comprising eight years and three months’ imprisonment. Upon his release, he will be subject to an additional four years on licence and an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Detective Constable Jamie Easdown said:
‘We regularly visit registered sex offenders living in our communities to monitor their conduct and ensure they are complying with any conditions in place to prevent further crimes. We install software on their devices to monitor activity online and will promptly complete searches at home addresses if we suspect further offences.
‘In this way, we endeavour to protect the most vulnerable in our community. Knight has shown that he remains a danger to children and, once his crimes were discovered, he was swiftly arrested and brought back before the court to answer for his actions.’