MARK FRENCH FROM HEMEL HEMPSTEAD AND ST ALBANS EXPOSED AS PAEDOPHILE RUNNING PROM CARRIAGE BUSINESS

In a disturbing revelation that has shocked the local communities of Hemel Hempstead and St Albans, Mark French, a man with a troubling past, has been publicly exposed as a convicted paedophile who is now operating a business that caters to schoolchildren attending their prom nights.

French, aged 55, has managed to craft an image of respectability, often seen dressed in a top hat and a brass-buttoned coat, as he offers horse-drawn carriage rides for children heading to their school proms. His company, Magical Beginnings, advertises itself as providing elegant white horses and beautiful carriages suitable for a variety of special occasions, including weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and prom events. The service starts at a fee of £350, and promotional images on the company's Facebook page show young children posing alongside French’s horse and carriage, further emphasizing the family-friendly image he seeks to project.

However, beneath this veneer of charm and sophistication lies a dark history. Mark French was previously convicted of grooming and engaging in sexual activities with a 12-year-old girl in the year 2000. His criminal record reveals that he served four and a half years in prison for these offenses, which included grooming the young girl with inappropriate gifts such as black knickers, and eventually having sexual intercourse with her on a mattress in the back of his van. The victim, who later testified at St Albans Crown Court, recounted that French would lie on top of her during these encounters and told her she had lost her virginity after one such incident.

French’s criminal activities did not end there. He was also banned from working as a farrier due to serious professional misconduct. Despite his criminal past, French has managed to establish a business that attracts schoolchildren eager to arrive at their prom in style, a fact that has alarmed many parents once they became aware of his background.

When approached by the Sunday Mirror, French denied any involvement in prom-related work and claimed that the wording on his website was incorrect, attempting to distance himself from the allegations. Nevertheless, his past actions have cast a long shadow over his current endeavors.

Further details of his criminal history emerged from court proceedings in September 2000, when he was convicted of having sex with a 12-year-old girl who helped him with his horses after school. The girl, now 14, testified that their relationship began when French, a father of four from Lowbell Lane in London Colney, Hertfordshire, touched her inappropriately after shoeing a horse. She described how he would pick her up from school in his van, where they would perform acts of a sexual nature, including sex in the back of his vehicle and at his flat in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead. She also recounted that French bought her presents such as black knickers and other trinkets, and even took her to a family planning clinic in St Albans for the morning-after pill following an incident involving a condom.

The relationship reportedly lasted from November 1997 until March of the following year, ending only when the girl discovered French was seeing an older woman. The police and NSPCC were contacted shortly after the relationship ended. French denied the allegations, claiming the girl’s account was fabricated and that he only bought her a key-ring and a Christmas gift chosen by his son. He also insisted that he kept his dog and equipment in the van and that he was usually accompanied by a colleague or his son when he picked her up.

Judge Findlay Baker QC, presiding over the case, adjourned sentencing to allow for further reports but indicated that French was likely to face imprisonment and would be required to register as a sex offender. The case has raised serious concerns about the safety of children and the potential risks posed by individuals with a criminal past operating in community settings under the guise of providing family-friendly services.