A CONVICTED sex offender breached his sexual harm prevention order within months of it being imposed – by signing up to volunteer at a Calne community centre. 

Bruce Thomas Wayne, 32, who in 2011 was convicted of a child sex offence and in 2020 was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order, helped out as a fire warden and maintenance man at Calne Central, a non-profit youth and community centre on Church Street.

Prosecutor Kate Prince told Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday morning that Wayne had enquired about volunteering at the centre before Christmas and was told to come back in the new year.

He went for an induction meeting then began to volunteer in January. He produced a DBS background check that did not match information he’d previously provided. Those running the charity went to the police for advice. 

Wiltshire Times:

Bruce Thomas Wayne outside Swindon Magistrates' Court Picture: ADVER PHOTOGRAPHER

Ms Prince said Wayne had volunteered for two months from January 4. He was a fire marshal and health and safety officer, even delivering safety training to other volunteers. He also had a set of keys to the building and access to the CCTV. It was suggested by the organisation that Wayne had accessed some of the camera recordings while he was volunteering. 

It was claimed Wayne had struck up a friendship with one of the organisation’s service users, a vulnerable woman with mental health issues. The defendant met her at midnight after she called him looking for support, the court was told. 

Magistrates heard that Wayne had been put on the sex offenders’ register in 2011 but had breached notification requirements in 2014. It is understood Wayne was convicted under the name Andrew Jason Phillips, with Bruce Wayne – the "real" name of fictional superhero Batman - a moniker.

In October 2020, Weston-super-Mare magistrates made the defendant subject to a five year sexual harm prevention order following an application by the police. Officers were said to have had concerns about Wayne’s “behaviour”, although the nature of the behaviour was not spelled out. The order bans him from joining support groups. 

Appearing before the justices on Saturday morning, Wayne, of Watermint Way, Calne, pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order. 

Tony Nowogrodski, defending, said his client had initially gone to the centre for food then, later, volunteered particularly on building maintenance. His client had a number of mental health issues.

Magistrates bailed him to appear at Swindon Crown Court on April 9 for sentence. His bail conditions require him to live and sleep at Watermint Close and not go within 100 metres of Calne Central. 

Chairman of the bench Amanda Lee warned Wayne he needed to comply with the bail conditions or face being remanded in custody. “It goes without saying you do exactly as said. You don’t do exactly as said, there will be no discussion. Have we made ourselves clear?”