Dark Web Access Among Multiple Violations as UK Offender Avoids Jail

A 37-year-old Daniel Johnson, who’s already on the sex offenders’ list, faced the court again on March 19, 2026. Apparently, he ignored his sexual offences prevention order, not just once, but three different times.

On top of all that, he flaunted his notification requirements. During his hearing, the judge gave him a suspended sentence and told him his fate is in his own hands.

Johnson’s Sexual Offence History

Johnson’s legal trouble started 10 years ago. According to Prosecutor Simon Parry’s testimony at the Mold Crown Court, his first conviction was in 2015 when the Leeds Crown Court gave him a three-year, four-month prison sentence.

His offense? Having sexual activity with a child. Also, they issued him a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), which is basically a leash the authorities put on offenders so they don’t mess up again.

Then, just to be extra sure, officials changed the order in July 2018 and made it to run indefinitely. This order was to help keep Johnson in check and protect everyone else he comes in contact with.

Johnson now lives in Denbigh on Maes Cantorion. He left his former abode in May 2025, and he didn’t notify the police on time. He waited for six days before informing them about the change.

Maybe six days sounds like nothing, but with these laws? That’s a big no-no. The order says he has three days tops to report a new address. Johnson blew the deadline, which is a breach of his SOPO. Johnson later claimed he thought he had seven days to do so.

The Convict’s Connection to the Dark Web

Things escalated in January of 2025 when the police paid Johnson’s house a visit as a registered sex offender. One of the officers checked his phone and saw some things that raised red flags.

Johnson had downloaded an internet browser called Tor on his phone. Law enforcement officials often associate this browser with accessing the dark web. The SOPO specifically prohibited Johnson from using such technology.

Why? Because Tor is an anonymous web browser, it doesn’t keep logs of a user’s browsing activity. Should Johnson use it, it will be almost impossible to know and keep track of what he does online.

Law enforcement is well aware of how predators exploit the dark web. In a recent case, an FBI-led sting operation snared a mother and a sex offender in a child exploitation scheme, demonstrating that authorities are increasingly capable of identifying and apprehending offenders even in the darkest corners of the internet.

In addition, Johnson refused to allow officers onto his property when they came to check on him in October. Also, he took out a new phone contract the previous June without notifying the police. Then in December, police visited again. Johnson refused to provide his phone passcode, blocking officers from examining the device.

The Court’s Decision

Jade Tufail represented Johnson and asked the court to note his “timely guilty pleas.” She pointed out that Johnson has not really committed any substantial offences since 2015. His lawyer argued that the SOPO breaches came after “a long period of compliance” with the order.

Judge Timothy Petts delivered the sentence on March 19. He described Johnson’s behavior as showing “carelessness in complying with orders.” The judge called the SOPO breaches “serious and persistent” in nature.

Despite the seriousness, Judge Petts decided against immediate imprisonment. He said Johnson has a “realistic prospect of rehabilitation” that “outweighs the need for immediate imprisonment.” The judge handed down a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for a year and a half.

Judge Petts had a final warning for Johnson: “Your fate is in your hands.” The court also made a deprivation order for Johnson’s electronic devices.