A convicted rapist on the sex offenders’ register has been jailed for 18 weeks after giving police a false address for seven months.

Steven Salczynski, of Caravelle Gardens, Northolt, a chef, admitted giving a false information to police between February and September this year.

The 41-year-old also admitted failing to comply with requirements to notify police of where he was living between July and September.

The court heard that Salczynski had given police addresses that did not exist.

Police visited The Heron pub in Lower Farnham Road, Aldershot, one of the addresses he had registered at, and found clothing and personal items that did not belong to him, the court heard.

He also failed to register his new address in Hogmoor Road, Bordon, when he moved there in July, magistrates were told.

Speaking after the case, Pc Angela Smith, of the offender management unit at Aldershot police station, said: “We are very satisfied with the sent-ence. It sends out a clear and firm message to all registered sex offenders that any breaches of their requirements will be dealt with robustly.

“Sex offenders, who have been made subject to the notification requirements under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, have a responsibility to ensure that they do not breach these requirements.”

“MAPPA (Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangement) was introduced as a partnership approach for assessing and managing the risk posed by registered sex offenders, violent and other sex offenders and those posing a high risk of harm to the public.

“Our public protection unit and offender management team are committed to reduc-ing this risk and protecting members of the public in North and East Hampshire.”

During the case before Aldershot magistrates on Thursday last week, defence solicitor Chris Jones said his client had been registered for seven years without any problems and had made a full admission to the police when questioned about the discrepancies.

“Up until Christmas 2007 everything had been fine, and at the last address there were no children at that address,” Mr Jones said. “He immediately attended Alton Police Station and wanted to get everything sorted out.

“Before he went back to Northolt he was also given a card with the mobile phone number of the Sex Offenders’ Unit officers.

“He works as a chef in a pub in Farnham, and hopes to live on site at this pub where he works, but there was some problem in registering to that address. He entered Aldershot Police Station and said he was living at 33 The Heron, but after police made checks they found there was no such address. It was a genuine mistake.”

Mr Jones said Salczynski had had problems finding a place to live because of the need to tell people why he was on the sex offenders’ register.

“There were belongings of his at the Heron pub, but he has been moving around even though he had stuff at that pub. It was only when he went there that he realised he was in trouble. That is what he told me.

“He accepts that the whole thing had gone out of the window because he should have told the police that he was living there.

“Yes he has been in breach of the conditions, and yes it has been a long time. He has tried to get a stable situation but he hasn’t been able to do that.”

Mr Jones said that Salczynski had been staying at his mother’s address in Northolt and had looked at getting work near there.

“He is continuously going from London to Farnham to work, but he appreciates 110% what he has done and what he hasn’t done, he is very sincere about that,” he added.

“It is easy once you have failed to register to let it slide.

“I think it is human nature to say, ‘once I get stable then I will let the police know’. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened for Mr Salczynski.”

After magistrates indicated they were considering looking at giving Salczynski a prison term, Mr Jones added that being sent to jail would not help his client settle down and subsequently stay on the radar of the police.

“I would say custody would not only lose Mr Salczynski his employment, but once he was released, it would leave him a very desperate person and even less likely to find somewhere stable to live. I would urge you not to consider custody.

“Mr Salczynski could be punished in another way.”

In court, Pc Smith told magistrates that getting in touch with officers at the unit was made easy for offenders.

“All our officers are very approachable,” she said.

“All registered sex offenders have to do is pick up a phone. We are here for the management of them and the protection of them as well.”

Court chairman Michael Cadge said: “We are swayed. We are of the opinion that there was a blatant disregard for the purposes of the sex offenders’ register and compliance with the authorities.”

Imposing the immediate prison term, Mr Cadge said: “It seems to us that it could have been resolved by talking to the officer in the case.”