A man convicted of multiple sexual offenses has used at least 20 different aliases to evade detection and court actions, exploiting loopholes in the legal system that allow sex offenders to change their names without comprehensive notification to authorities.
Jason Brown, formerly known as Seb Coe and born Barry Coe, has repeatedly altered his identity while facing various charges, including rape, sexual assault, and multiple breaches of sexual harm prevention orders (SHPOs). Brown’s case has drawn attention for highlighting gaps in the system that enable registered sex offenders to adopt new names via deed poll—a process that requires minimal verification and reportedly takes about 15 minutes online.
The 54-year-old’s long criminal history became known in detail after a former partner, Julie Purvin, uncovered his multiple identities during his ongoing trial last year. Purvin, who met Brown in early 2025, described the relationship as initially loving before learning that Brown was a convicted sex offender being prosecuted under a name she did not recognize. Brown had concealed his past, which included a 2014 conviction for targeting underage girls through explicit messaging and indecent exposure, as well as more recent offenses such as breaching SHPOs by attending events where children were present.
Court records reveal that Brown changed his first name from Seb to Jason mid-trial, further complicating tracking efforts. He has been charged multiple times for violating sexual harm prevention orders, most recently facing trial in Lincoln Crown Court for the 12th breach after being seen holding hands with a nine-month-old baby girl. Despite pleading guilty in that case, he is expected to receive a community sentence, which his former partner criticized as inadequate.
Brown’s offenses span several English counties and include a conviction for sexually assaulting a woman in 2021, though he was acquitted of rape charges in that trial. Authorities have described him as a “dangerous man” who is “very clever” and “very charming,” utilizing his charisma to gain trust while concealing his history.
Purvin has become an advocate for legal reform, arguing that the ease with which offenders can change their names endangers public safety and undermines safeguarding measures. She reported experiencing dismissive responses when first alerting local police about Brown, prompting her to escalate the matter to the police watchdog. Subsequent police investigations confirmed Brown’s multiple aliases and led to his arrest for failing to notify authorities of his relationship status, resulting in a six-month prison sentence.
Statistics indicate that nearly 1,500 registered sex offenders notified police about name changes between 2019 and 2021, while around 700 others failed to do so, effectively disappearing from supervision. One police force reported over 500 offenders had changed their names within a two-year period.
Members of Parliament and campaigners have called for legislative action to close the loophole permitting offenders to change names without more stringent oversight. Rotherham Labour MP Sarah Champion described the situation as a serious safeguarding risk and criticized repeated government delays in addressing the issue.
A Home Office spokesperson confirmed that registered sex offenders must notify police of any name changes and warned that failure to do so constitutes a criminal offense. They also noted ongoing efforts to enhance police powers under forthcoming legislation aimed at strengthening public protection from dangerous sexual offenders.