MARK FITZPATRICK FROM WELWYN GARDEN CITY ESCAPES JAIL AFTER POSSESSING OVER 400 CHILD INDECENT IMAGES

In a case that has shocked the community of Welwyn Garden City, Mark Fitzpatrick, a 40-year-old resident of Thundridge Close, was found guilty of possessing a significant collection of indecent images of children, yet he narrowly avoided imprisonment. The court proceedings revealed that Fitzpatrick had admitted to possessing more than 400 such images, which ranged across various levels of severity, and also to creating and downloading inappropriate pictures of minors.

The incident came to light after a vigilant resident, Mrs. Julie Alderson, observed suspicious behavior in a children’s play area located in New Wood, Welwyn Garden City. Over three consecutive nights in August of 2008, Mrs. Alderson noticed Fitzpatrick loitering in the vicinity. She described him as wearing a woolly hat and a blond wig, often lurking around the play area and occasionally peering into nearby flats. At one point, she observed him holding what appeared to be a piece of paper or an envelope.

Concerned by his actions, Mrs. Alderson contacted the police after each sighting. On the second occasion, Fitzpatrick attempted to flee when approached, but he was finally apprehended on the third night, August 8, by Police Constable Jonathan Stow. During the arrest, officers discovered that the paper Fitzpatrick was holding was laminated and displayed images of young children, which confirmed suspicions of inappropriate activity.

Following his arrest, authorities conducted a thorough search of Fitzpatrick’s residence. The search uncovered further evidence of his disturbing interests, including numerous indecent images stored on his computer and a memory stick. Additionally, three videos were recovered, one of which was notably lengthy at 53 minutes. Prosecutor David Chrimes highlighted the severity of the material, emphasizing the disturbing nature of the content.

During police interviews, Fitzpatrick admitted that he would often go out at night dressed in disguises, using the images he possessed for sexual gratification. He expressed remorse, stating that he was disgusted by his own actions. He explained that his fascination with children had begun after browsing the internet for adult pornography, which led him down a dark path.

His defense lawyer, Gerrard Boyd, described Fitzpatrick as a lonely man whose isolated lifestyle contributed to his unhealthy obsession. Boyd explained, “Like so many isolated and lonely people, he began using the computer, and pop-ups led him into the field of child pornography.” He also revealed that Fitzpatrick had confided in his family about his actions but chose not to disclose full details out of shame.

Judge Michael Baker QC acknowledged the seriousness of Fitzpatrick’s offenses but also showed some leniency, citing his apparent remorse and the fact that he cooperated with police. The judge remarked, “You are a very shy man who leads an isolated life and has developed an unhealthy interest in sexual images of young girls which you have downloaded and collected. You have also engaged in disturbing behaviors such as loitering in public places in disguise and taking sexual pleasure from these images.”

He further noted that Fitzpatrick was caught due to the vigilance of Mrs. Alderson and that he had been honest with law enforcement from the outset. While the offenses could have resulted in a custodial sentence, the court decided on a different course of action. Fitzpatrick was not sent to prison but was instead sentenced to a three-year supervision order and ordered to complete a sexual offenders’ treatment program.

Additionally, Fitzpatrick was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years and was banned from working with children indefinitely. He was also subjected to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which restricts him from using certain software to delete internet history, contacting minors under 16, possessing images of children without permission, loitering in public places for extended periods, being alone in public between midnight and 6:00 am, and attempting to conceal his identity in public.

This case underscores the ongoing concerns about online child exploitation and the importance of community vigilance in safeguarding children from predators.