A SEX offender who left Britain to live abroad after being released early from jail has been given an 18-month prison sentence.

David Williams, aged 50, formerly of Brobury Close, Newton Farm, Hereford, pleaded guilty to breaching the requirements of the sex offenders’ register.

He failed to notify police of a change of address and failed to tell them of his intention to leave the UK for the Phillipines, Worcester Crown Court heard.

In 2004 he was convicted of sexual offences on a girl and making indecent images of a child. He was sentenced to 15 months in jail and his prison licence was extended to three years.

But he then went to live in the Phillipines with his wife until the authorities in that country found out and extradited him back to the UK.

Williams was arrested as he arrived at Heathrow Airport on October 5 and remanded in custody.

Anna Midgley, defending, said his prison licence for the original crime had been revoked. His release date was now April 2016.

The new sentence will run concurrently but it was up to the parole board to determine how long he must stay in jail.

Miss Midgley said the defendant’s wife, who was still in the Phillipines, had been in touch with him. He was suffering from depresion in jail.

Judge John Cavell said Williams was responsible for “a quite deliberate and flagrant breach” of the court order.

He said it was quite plain that he had planned to leave the country once he had been released from the 15- month term.