A serial sex offender is back in custody after he was brought to court accused of breaching bail conditions, The Royal Gazette can confirm.

Devaun Cox, 38, appeared in Magistrates’ Court yesterday, just days after he had been released from prison.

The nature of the alleged breach was not given during the court hearing.

Michael Weeks, the national security minister, said he understood “the apprehension expressed by residents” over Cox’s release, adding: “I share the public's concerns for their safety.”

Mr Weeks emphasised that Cox had completed his jail sentence for sexually assaulting a woman and was under “probationary supervision for 18 months” as mandated by the courts.

“Stringent measures were implemented to ensure strict adherence to all necessary protocols during the period of his release,” he said.

“In exercising due diligence, today he was remanded in custody.”

Mr Weeks noted that Keeva Joell-Benjamin, the Commissioner of Corrections, acknowledged that “short sentences present challenges in conducting the assessments required for a comprehensive report to be prepared and provided to the Minister of Legal Affairs with a recommendation regarding public notification”.

Kathy Lynn Simmons, the Attorney-General and legal affairs minister, said that her practice of informing the public of the impending release of a sex offender was a decision made after consultation with the Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner of Corrections.

Ms Simmons added: “We are resolute in our commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing and security of the public. Adhering to the established protocol for public notifications, the Ministry of Legal Affairs remains steadfast in our commitment to issue notifications, where appropriate, as has been our practice since 2018.

“The protocol, as outlined in Section 329H of the Criminal Code 1907, empowers the Minister of Legal Affairs to disclose information about sex offenders deemed to pose a risk of significant harm to the health or safety of the public, an affected group, or an individual.”

Cox, who suffers from mental-health challenges, had been on remand since May 5 last year.

He was held after he told a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, that she looked “real good” and inappropriately touched her.

The incident occurred on May 3, six days after he had been released from prison for a sexual assault on a patient at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute.

Cox pleaded guilty to the offence on September 29 and was sentenced on December 29 to a yearlong prison sentence, with time in custody to be taken into account.

His probation requirements included refraining from alcohol or drug use, submitting to urine screenings and taking part in any programmes suggested by court staff.

Offenders serving prison sentences are typically released after serving two thirds of their sentence, but are placed on probation upon release.

Magistrate Tyrone Chin adjourned the matter until January 16 to give Cox time to speak with his lawyer, and remanded him.

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