Sex offender jailed for re-offending the day of prison release

A Medway sex offender who bought a phone and immediately viewed indecent images of children after being released from prison has been jailed.

Michael Millson, 40, was released on Thursday 20 August 2026, having previously been imprisoned for 3 years and handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for similar offending.

Officers arrested him four days later in Station Road, Rainham, as he had failed to attend a probation meeting.

Upon arrest, Millson’s Samsung phone, which he hadn’t told police he’d acquired, was seized and a review was conducted.

Crimes

Examination of the device found that upon his release, he had immediately purchased it and used a web browser with a built-in Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Millson also installed a browser and software which removes internet history and anonymises searches, specifically banned by the SHPO.

The review also uncovered 49 indecent images of children, with some having been accessed the afternoon of his release from prison.

Jailed

On Tuesday 25 August, he was charged with 3 counts of making indecent images of children, 2 counts of failing to comply with the sex offenders register and 5 counts of breaching his SHPO.

Millson, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to all offences and was jailed for 5 years at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday 12 November.

Police Constable Leona Valsler said:

‘The speed with which he breached his SHPO upon release indicates the severity of his offending and shows the danger he presents to young people. ‘The images located on his phone featured extremely young children, and were some of the worst images I’ve seen in my career. ‘I am therefore satisfied he will serve such a lengthy sentence behind bars, where he cannot continue offending. This case also highlights how useful SHPOs can be in monitoring and prosecuting criminals who continue to commit sexual offences.’