October 2010 Convicted rapist walks free from court despite sex offence breach A convicted rapist who breached a court order when he spoke to young girls waiting in line to meet X Factor star Eoghan Quigg walked free from court yesterday after his 10-month jail term was suspended for three years. Belfast Crown Court heard that the girls were queuing at HMV when the singer was signing copies of his album in April last year when they were approached by David Thomas Paige who claimed he could get them to the front of the queue. At the time Paige (39), formerly from Fitzroy Avenue, was subject to a court imposed Sexual Offences Prevention Order barring him from associating with females or children after he was jailed for seven years for rape in 1998. Prosecuting lawyer Tessa Kitson said Paige led one of the girls by the arm out of the queue but that security staff intervened. The police were then called and it transpired that Paige was a sex offender. In imposing the suspended sentence, Judge Kennedy said she believed it was the best way to protect women and children, because if she jailed him, he would be “more likely to cause harm to the very people who are to be protected”.