A resident from Edgeley in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has been jailed for 20 months after being identified by a mobile facial recognition camera while walking through the town centre. This technology allows police to scan faces in crowds and compare them against a digital list of wanted individuals.
Phillip Loxam was spotted by the high-tech equipment on 12 February 2026. When officers from Greater Manchester Police stopped him, they found he was breaking the terms of a court order meant to prevent sexual harm. Police discovered he was carrying a hidden mobile phone and using software designed to hide his internet history.
At a hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court on 13 March 2026, Loxam admitted to three breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order. These rules are put in place by courts to monitor and restrict the activities of certain offenders to help protect the public.
The local police force has been using mobile vans equipped with cameras to help find people on watchlists since October 2025. This technology has led to 53 arrests so far, with 11 of those involving registered sex offenders. This case is the second time in recent months that these cameras have helped to jail a sex offender in the region.
