Harlow: Man jailed following vital monitoring work
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A man has been sent to prison after admitting attempted sexual communication with a child and numerous breaches of a court order.
It follows checks on Steven Finch’s devices after officers attended his probation appointment in Harlow.
Finch, who was not living at his approved address in the town, was arrested by officers who found a concealed device which he had attempted to delete data from.
3000 messages deleted
The registered sex offender had been issued with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order in March 2022 following a conviction for arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.
Our Management of Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders team (MOSOVO) forensically examined the 49-year-old’s devices.
They identified four separate breaches of the order, including deleting messages, contacting a child and failing to declare a new account.
Between January and March 2025 Finch deleted around 3000 messages from his social media accounts. In March he also engaged in sexual communication with someone who he believed was a 14-year-old girl.
At Chelmsford Crown Court he previously admitted attempted sexual communication with a child and the four breaches.
At the same court on Thursday 20 November, Finch, of HMP Bure in Norfolk, was jailed for 44 months with an extended licence for 12 months.
regular monitoring is crucial
Lead investigator – MOSOVO officer Jai Rivers – said:
Regular monitoring by our team is crucial and this case highlights its importance.
Our team carries out constant monitoring across Essex every day to keep everyone safe.
Finch not only failed to adhere to the order’s requirements, but he committed a further offence.
This custodial sentence means that he will be prevented from continuing his predatory behaviour.
Free support for survivors of sexual violence in Essex
Synergy Essex offers free, confidential help to anyone in Essex affected by rape, sexual abuse, or sexual violence - whether it happened recently or in the past.
It’s made up of three expert services:
- Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse
- Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service
- Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis
You don’t need to report anything to the police to get support. You can contact Synergy Essex directly, or ask someone you trust, like a friend, family member or professional, to refer you.
Support is available for all ages and includes:
- Counselling (in person, online or by phone).
- Emotional and practical help.
- Guidance from Independent Sexual Violence Advisers if you choose to report the crime.
Their First Contact team can talk you through your options and help you get started.
Find out more on the Synergy Essex website.