Sex offender breached child contact ban

A CONVICTED paedophile has been sentenced to three months in custody after breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO), though he was released the same day due to time already served

Gareth Kitchener, 38, formerly of Millbrook Gardens, Castlederg, received his sentence at Omagh Magistrates Court last week.

The father-of-four was previously convicted of six counts of sexually touching a 13-year-old girl, who bravely gave evidence against him in court.

On Thursday past, the court heard that on January 19, 2024, Kitchener was stopped by police on the Hospital Road in Omagh after they suspected his vehicle, a white Vauxhall Astra, was speeding.

During the stop, officers observed a young boy in the passenger seat.

When police inquired about the child’s identity, the boy remained silent, and Kitchener claimed the child was his son.

SOPO

At the time, officers were unaware that Kitchener was subject to a SOPO, one of the conditions of which prohibited him from having contact with any child under 16.

Kitchener told police that the child had ADHD, and had run out of the house, prompting him to pick the boy up and bring him home.

However, when later arrested and interviewed, Kitchener denied any child had been in his car, accusing the police of lying and being biased against him.

Despite initially pleading not guilty, Kitchener changed his plea just before the contested hearing on Thursday. His defence counsel, Nadine Knight, acknowledged the late plea, but argued that Kitchener deserved some credit for eventually admitting guilt. She also noted that this was his first breach of the SOPO, which had been in place since June 2022.

Deputy district judge, Joe O’Hare, criticised Kitchener for giving ‘total lies’ during the police interview, stating that the situation could have been resolved much earlier if Kitchener had been truthful from the start.

Kitchener was sentenced to three months in custody, but due to the time he had already spent in detention, he was released on the same day.