A SEX offender 'could not be bothered' to tell police of his new address, a court has heard.

Macauley Stephens admitted failing to comply with the notification requirements of the sex offenders register when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

The registered sex offender is required to notify police of any change to his address within three days, prosecutor Ralph Robyns Landricombe said.

But police were contacted by a probation officer on June 6, who informed them that Stephens had moved house after having to leave his home after a falling out and was now living with his partner's family in Hereford.

Officers visited Stephens' new address and spoke to his partner's parents, who confirmed he had been living with them for six weeks, and when the 26-year-old went to Hereford Police Station to complete a change of address notification he too confirmed he had moved in six weeks previously.

In interview, Stephens, who has previous convictions for voyeurism, sexual assault, and burglary, and who was subject to a suspended sentence at the time, said he should have told police of his new address but that he had been very low at the time and could not be bothered to do so.

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George Cousins, for Stephens, said he had been in regular contact with probation throughout after he was thrown out of his accommodation and moved in with his partner's family.

"That was a period of upheaval," Mr Cousins said.

"Clearly he should have notified police, but he did not. When the situation settled down and he was told he could stay there long-term he told probation."

The court heard from a probation report that Stephens had not told police of his new address as he was worried that his partner's family would find out about his convictions but that they now know of them.

Stephens, of Kingsway, Hereford, was fined a total of £130. He must also pay costs of £185 and a £34 victim surcharge