Convicted sex offender William Patterson breaches court order by sending child Christmas card
A convicted sex offender sent a Christmas card to a child of a family member after he was jailed for 22 years, Magherafelt Magistrates Court was told on Wednesday.
Seventy-one-year-old William Patterson, from Magherafelt Road, Tobermore, admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order by having contact or communication with a young person under 16 years old between November 30, 2022 and January 6, 2023.
Jailing Patterson for four months, District Judge Oonagh Mullan said that it was extremely serious that having been sentenced for these matters this man had no recognition of what he did and sent a message which must have caused deep concern to the parents and family.
Patterson, who appeared in court via video link, was jailed for 22 years on September 2, 2022 for sexually abusing children over a 13-year period in his wife's childminding premises.
He was convicted of 84 charges of sexually abusing 19 pre-school and primary school boys and girls, the youngest aged three.
Prosecuting counsel said he had sent a letter from prison to a family member containing a Christmas card and included one for a child which was in breach of the court order. He said that the matter was reported to the police.
A defence lawyer said Patterson did not want to cause any family member further embarrassment and was admitting the offence.
The lawyer stressed there had been no contact and that "this man will be in custody for a very, very long time".