Sex offender repeatedly found with missing teenager

A sex offender who was found with a vulnerable missing teenager on several occasions has been jailed.

Tai Mitchell, 22, was handed a Child Abduction Warning Notice (CAWN) by a judge on 30 January, barring him from having any contact with the young woman after he was repeatedly found with her after she was reported missing by her carers.

However, the girl was reported missing on three consecutive nights in February, and on the final occasion was found inside a tent with Mitchell at the Embankment, in Peterborough city centre, on the morning of 27 February.

He pleaded guilty to knowingly and without lawful authority keeping a child away from the responsible person, as well as failing to notify police of a change of address within three days – a requirement of him being on the Sex Offenders Register – after he didn’t update police of a move from Eastfield Road to Lincoln Road on 23 February.

Mitchell had been placed on the register for ten years in February 2021 after being jailed for sexual offences against teenage children.

Mitchell, of Lincoln Road, Walton, Peterborough, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) where he was sentenced to 28 weeks in prison.

PC Alex Neill, who investigated, said: “CAWNs are a way of disrupting contact between a vulnerable child and a predatory adult.

“We believe the girl was at risk of harm through her association and inappropriate relationship with him, repeatedly going missing from her care placement and being groomed by him.

“Once Mitchell is released from prison, he will continue to be monitored by our specialist team who manage sex offenders in the community and robust action will be taken against him should he continue to pose a threat to young women.”

Information about how we manage registered sex offenders can be found on our dedicated information webpage.