PSNI praise victims of William Patterson for bravery after pervert pensioner is jailed

The Sunday World was the first publication to reveal the catalogue of charges brought against Patterson back in May, 2019.

The PSNI’s Public Protection Branch welcomed the sentencing of the 69-year-old from the Maghera area, at Coleraine Crown Court today.

“We want to thank them for their bravery in coming forward and their families for working with detectives to bring this abuser to justice,” Detective Chief Inspector Kerry Brennan said.

“Our Public Protection Branch specialist detectives are trained to investigate this type of crime and we will continue to empower victims to come forward and educate adults on how to spot the signs of abuse.

“Our thoughts today are with the young victims that this man preyed over for many years and their families. No child should ever have to suffer this type of horrific abuse.

“We want to thank them for their bravery in coming forward and their families for working with detectives to bring this abuser to justice.

Patterson was sentenced to 22 years after he was convicted of 84 offences involving 19 children, carried out over a 10 year period.

He will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register and subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

In May 2019 we revealed how the mid-Ulster pensioner, who at that stage was at the centre of over 30 child sex abuse allegations involving 15 children had appeared at Magherafelt Magistrates Court.

Originally from the village of Culnady, Co Derry, Patterson’s address given in court as Magherafelt Road, Tobermore.

District Judge Oonagh Mullan heard how police were investigating a new suspect in connection with the investigation into Patterson.

The previous month it was heard in court that police needed extra time to question Patterson in connection with their investigation involving a “large number of children”.

He stood accused with 33 child sex crimes – 36 charges altogether, including multiple counts of engaging in sexual activity while in the presence of a child, intentionally engaging in the sexual touching of a person under 13 years and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He was further charged with two counts of sexual assault by intentional penetration of a child with a finger or part of the hand.

Patterson was also facing charges with one count of voyeurism in that he allegedly observed another person doing a private act knowing that the other person did not consent to being observed for the purposes of sexual gratification.

He is also accused of exposure in that he allegedly intentionally exposed his genitals intending that someone would see them and be caused alarm or distress.