A WEDDING photographer who breached a court order banning him from unsupervised contact with under-18s has been given a final chance by a Swindon.

Snapper Peter Albanese had broken the terms of his sexual risk order within months of magistrates making it in May.

The order – applied for by Wiltshire Police after concerns he was plying youngsters with booze – stopped him from associating with children or face up to five years in jail. Between July 3 and August 8, his employers secretly recorded eight phone calls between Albanese and a boy.

Albanese had attempted to defend the calls, claiming he was checking on the youth’s welfare.

But that excuse was questioned by Judge Jason Taylor QC. He told the defendant: “You are not being truthful, either with this court or yourself. This is not you being a Good Samaritan. If it were then the conversations would have borne out genuine concern, which they don’t.”

But after acknowledging 43-year-old Albanese, of David Murray John Tower, desperately needed support to address his behaviour, he suspended the sentence of 20 months imprisonment for two years.

“You need to understand, Mr Albanese, this has been a very close-run thing. This is a warning shot. This is now hanging over your head. You breach this then you are going to prison,” Judge Taylor said.

“You pose a high risk of serious harm towards children and you even describe the sexual risk order as being there to protect you. It is to protect others. You should not need help protecting yourself.”

Prosecuting, Alex Daymond said the story went back to 2016 when concerns were raised that Albanese was associating with young teens, allowing them to visit his house and supplying them with alcohol. He would also take them for meals out and other trips.

The children’s teachers flagged their fears that Albanese was grooming the youngsters, although there were no suggestions at that time the defendant had molested them.

Then, in January, a boy claimed he had been sexually assaulted by Albanese. The latter remains under police investigation in relation to that allegation.

In May, magistrates made Albanese subject to the sexual risk order, a civil order that can land those guilty of breaching it in the criminal courts.

Within two months, he had broken the order. The company for which he worked, not named in court but understood to be Capita, had tapped his telephone and recorded eight calls between him and a boy over a period of five weeks.

“They are, I have to concede, are not sexual in nature,” Mr Daymond said. “General conversations and suggesting meetings. That’s the theme that runs through them.”

Defending, Emma Handslip said Albanese was having counselling but had not been offered the chance to do any of the rehabilitative programmes aimed at sex offenders. Her client was a man of previous good character and owned his own photography business.

Judge Taylor ordered Albanese complete the Horizon programme aimed at rehabilitating sex offenders. He must do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay a £1,000 fine. A five year restraining order bans him from contacting the boy.