MARTIN RODRIGUEZ OF LIVERPOOL AND WATFORD SENTENCED FOR SEX OFFENCES AND CAMERA BAN VIOLATION

In a case that highlights ongoing concerns about sexual offences and violations of court orders, Martin Rodriguez, a known sex offender with ties to Liverpool and Watford, has been sentenced to prison after breaching a court-imposed ban on photography involving minors.

Rodriguez, aged 42 and residing on The Ridgeway in Watford, appeared before St Albans Crown Court to face charges related to his repeated violations of a sexual offences prevention order. The court heard that despite being subject to this order, which prohibited him from taking photographs of individuals under 18, Rodriguez could not resist the temptation to photograph young girls, including some in school uniforms, from his bedroom window in Watford.

The court was informed that officers executed a raid on his mother’s residence in Watford in December of the previous year. During the search, they confiscated various electronic devices, including memory sticks, a computer hard drive, and a mobile phone. An examination of these devices revealed numerous photographs of girls, some of whom appeared to be in school attire. Many of these images were found in deleted files, indicating an attempt to conceal the material.

Rodriguez’s criminal history is extensive. He was convicted in 2000 for indecent assault on a girl under 16 in Liverpool. His criminal record also includes a 2005 conviction for sexually assaulting a girl under 13, and in 2007, he was convicted of breaching a previous community order by taking photographs of females under 18 in a park. These prior convictions underscore a pattern of concerning behavior involving minors.

During the hearing, defense lawyer Daniel O’Mally explained that Rodriguez initially claimed his interest in photography was purely obsessive and not sexually motivated. However, Rodriguez later accepted that his obsession was linked to sexual gratification, which the court found troubling.

Judge Martin Griffith issued a stern warning to Rodriguez, emphasizing that any further breach of the court order would likely result in a prison sentence. The judge mandated that Rodriguez must not possess any device with a camera, approach any girl, have girls in his home, or come within 100 meters of schools. The court also ordered him to attend a sex offenders treatment program and comply with a police tracking scheme, as well as abstain from public drunkenness.

Rodriguez’s criminal activities in Watford date back to at least April 2009, when he was caught on CCTV acting suspiciously and taking photographs of young girls. This incident was broadcast on the BBC Crimewatch program, which led to his identification and subsequent arrest. The police found photographs of young girls in his home, directly breaching the 2007 order.

He had previously been caught after an appeal on Crimewatch, which revealed that he had approached girls at Cassiobury Park and taken their photographs. His history includes a 2007 conviction for approaching two girls at a bus stop, asking to take their pictures, and touching one of them. Rodriguez also has a prior conviction for indecent assault in Liverpool in 2000, and a nine-month jail sentence in 1993 for grievous bodily harm, along with a drink-driving conviction.

During the court proceedings, Rodriguez admitted to breaching the court order, despite claiming during police interviews that he was unsure of its conditions. He explained that he carried a small camera and would take pictures of females he found attractive. The court noted his history of non-compliance and his resistance to treatment, which contributed to the decision to impose a custodial sentence.

Judge Michael Baker sentenced Rodriguez to eight months in prison and imposed a further five-year sexual offences prevention order, which prohibits him from taking photographs of anyone under 18. The judge remarked that Rodriguez’s behavior was compulsive and that his resistance to treatment made incarceration necessary. Rodriguez is expected to serve half of his sentence before being released on licence. His 76 days spent on remand will count towards his sentence, and he is likely to be released within weeks.