Sex offender returned to prison after attempting contact with child
Scott Coombes has been jailed for breaching his court order
Last updated 5th Oct 2026
A registered sex offender, from Plymouth, has been jailed for breaching his court order, after an investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).
Scott Coombes, 36, of Beaumont Road, appeared before Plymouth Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to two breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) - deleting his mobile phone history and attempting sexual communication with a child, with the intention of forming an inappropriate relationship.
Coombes was arrested at his home address by officers from the SWROCU on 17 August, after he began chatting online with who he thought was a child under 16 years old.
Coombes has a history of committing child sex offences and was previously issued with an indefinite SHPO, meaning he was subject to specific restrictions, to prevent his reoffending. He has been jailed for two years.
Detective Inspector Dave Wells, from SWROCU, said: "There are serious legal consequences for breaching a SHPO and I am pleased to see the judge hand down a custodial sentence to him.
"My team is across the internet, seeking to identify and arrest offenders, looking to sexually abuse or exploit children. We are committed to working tirelessly, to bring prolific offenders like Coombes to justice.”
As well as his custodial sentence, Coombes will be on the Sex Offenders' Register and will be ordered to comply with a SHPO indefinitely, upon his release.