Ian Collard, 36, was sentenced to three years and three months in prison at Maidstone Crown Court on 4 September 2026 after pleading guilty to repeatedly breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed following his 2018 conviction.
Collard, formerly of Station Road, Gillingham, has been subject to the order since 2018, when he was convicted of attempting to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity. It banned him from social media, dating apps and websites, required him to flag any internet use to authorities, make his devices available for inspection, and live at approved premises in Beckenham.
The case began on 20 June 2026, when a woman contacted Kent Police after recognising Collard from media coverage of his original conviction. He had been messaging her through social media — conversations of a sexual nature — claiming to be homeless and asking to move in with her. He was arrested on 6 July 2026 and charged with 12 breaches of the order.
It was not his first time back in a cell for this. According to Kent Police, he had previously been returned to prison on multiple occasions for similar breaches of the same order.
Detective Constable James Neville, of Kent Police, said Collard had shown a “blatant disregard” for the restrictions placed on him, and described him as a high-risk sex offender who, in DC Neville’s view, poses an ongoing risk to others. The sentence, DC Neville said, reflects the seriousness of his behaviour and sends a clear message to others who breach protective orders.
Breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order is a criminal offence carrying a potential custodial sentence — an outcome Collard has now faced on more than one occasion.