Reading Crown Court: paedophile hairdresser accused of new breach

Defendant denies failing to comply with suspended sentence order

A PAEDOPHILE hair stylist, jailed for hoarding child pornography, has been accused of defying court orders a second time.

Anthony John Farr, who has a suspended prison sentence hanging over him for a previous breach, is again facing the prospect of going back to jail.

Farr, of the visiting service Akoni Hair Design, was jailed for 18 months in May 2017 after being caught with more than 20,000 indecent images of children.

Police found both still and moving images in categories C, B and A – the most serious.

The 54-year-old was jailed for 18 months, ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and made subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) designed to stop him re-offending.

Then in July 2019 he narrowly avoided being sent back to prison for defying court orders for a first time.

Farr, who lives at Southend Road, Bradfield Southend, had breached the terms of the SHPO by obtaining an Amazon Fire Kindle with internet access.

The court heard he had downloaded family photographs on to it and given it to his child as a present.

At that time, Judge Sarah Campbell said: “That’s a concern... his PPO [Public Protection Officer] says he is selective about the information he provides them. There could be an element of manipulation.”

And she said, while he was out of prison but on licence, Farr had failed to disclose a relationship that involved access to a child.

On that occasion Farr was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 20 months.

He was also ordered to complete a course for sex offenders and to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity.

However, on Wednesday, March 3, Farr was back in the dock at Reading Crown Court charged with breaching the suspended sentence order.

Judge Campbell said: “I recall sentencing him in 2019. This is the second breach before me.

“The concern then was that Mr Farr was being selective with information he was providing to police.

“It’s now said he is demonstrating by his attitude he doesn’t really need the help of the [sex offenders’ treatment] Horizon programme.

“He seems to have very little insight as to why this programme is appropriate and so he’s back before me again today.”

Mikaela Barwick, prosecuting, said: “Yes, it’s a very similar situation. But he doesn’t really accept the breach.

“The probation position is that it is, indeed, considered a breach. He is not engaging with the programme as required.”

Michael Phillips, defending, acknowledged that his client did not accept the breach.

Judge Campbell said the case could proceed no further that day and the matter was adjourned.

Farr was meanwhile released on bail.