STEVE FITZGERALD FROM WATFORD SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES AT PRIMARK

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Watford, Steven Fitzgerald, a 54-year-old man, was found guilty of heinous sexual offenses involving a young girl inside a Primark store. The incident took place on August 13 of the previous year, drawing immediate attention from security personnel and law enforcement authorities.

According to court reports, Fitzgerald was under surveillance by security staff at the Watford Primark when he approached a four-year-old girl who was standing behind her mother, who was busy browsing through clothing rails. Witnesses observed Fitzgerald, who was intoxicated at the time, make an inappropriate move by placing his hand inside the girl’s dress and into her underwear. The young girl, understandably distressed, called out to her mother, alerting her to the assault.

As Fitzgerald attempted to retreat from the scene, security personnel saw him exposing himself over the top of his jeans, further confirming his inappropriate behavior. His arrest on the spot led to a series of revelations, including a woman coming forward to disclose a disturbing pattern of sexual assaults spanning over six years during the late 1990s. She recounted how Fitzgerald had told her that the abuse she endured was merely a “game,” when she was between six and eleven years old.

The charges against Fitzgerald included six counts of sexual abuse, which involved inappropriate touching and forcing the young girl to perform sexual acts. He pleaded guilty to all seven charges, admitting to having uncontrollable urges, as reported by probation officials. The court heard that Fitzgerald had a long history of sexual offenses, with nine previous convictions starting from when he was 17 years old. His past crimes included indecent assault and similar offenses, such as sexually assaulting a young girl in a supermarket in 2004 and again in 2008.

Despite previously being registered as a sex offender and under police supervision, Fitzgerald’s monitoring had ended before the latest incident. The court was told that his prior offenses and ongoing dangerous tendencies made him a significant threat to the community, especially to young girls.

Judge Andrew Bright addressed Fitzgerald directly, stating, “You are someone who has a sexual interest in young girls and an entrenched history in sexual offending, putting your own sexual gratifications before the rights and feelings of young girls. You are without doubt a dangerous offender. You pose a significant risk to members of the public, and young girls in particular. The danger is so great that it is not possible for me to release you into the community. Imprisonment for the public protection is the only course for me to take.”

Fitzgerald was sentenced to a total of five and a half years in prison—three and a half years for the historic sexual assaults and an additional two years for the recent assault—sentences to run consecutively. However, under a public protection order, he could potentially spend the rest of his life behind bars, only being released when authorities determine he no longer poses a threat. He is required to serve at least half of his sentence and will be on license for a minimum of ten years upon release, ensuring ongoing supervision and restrictions to prevent further offenses.