Marazion sex offender jailed after police find forbidden tablet with dark web software
43 year old Richard Over, admitted breaching a court order which banned him from using internet-enabled devices without telling officers
Last updated 11th May 2026
A registered sex offender from Cornwall has been jailed after after police found a hidden tablet with dark web software installed on it.
Richard Over, 43, from Marazion, admitted breaching a court order designed to stop him accessing indecent images of children online.
Officers discovered the PIN-locked device which contained a search history-concealing browser and dark web software, during a visit to his home in April this year (2026).
He told officers he ‘didn’t use’ the private browser and the dark web application was ‘for checking about the war’.
He admitted five breaches of his SHPO between 17 December 2025 and 5 April 2026 and was sentenced to three years and two months in prison at Truro Crown Court on Friday 8 May.
Over, of Marazion in Cornwall, was originally convicted of making indecent images of children in 2017 and again in 2024 - for which he received suspended prison sentences.
He was also made the subject of a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in December 2023.
The SHPO barred Over from buying or using any device capable of accessing the internet without first notifying police.
The SHPO also stipulated any such device should be able to retain and display its online history and Over was also banned Over from using any software which enables anonymous online activity and from password-protecting any devices or files without permission.
Truro Crown Court heard that Over had previously breached his Sexual Harm Prevention Order seven times since September 2023.
He was also convicted of failing to meet his registered sex offender notification requirements seven times in the same period.
Police Constable Ross Waite said: “This offender made a sustained and deliberate effort to bypass strict court orders designed to protect children and limit his access to the internet.
“Despite being fully aware of the restrictions placed upon him, he chose to conceal a device, install software to hide his online activity, and attempt to access the darkest corners of the internet.
“Sexual Harm Prevention Orders are in place to manage risk and safeguard the public, particularly the most vulnerable.
“Breaching them is not a technicality – it is a serious offence that demonstrates a clear disregard for the law and for the safety of others.
“We will continue to robustly monitor and pursue those who attempt to evade these restrictions and take swift action to bring them before the courts.”