A convicted sex-offender has admitted the latest in a catalogue of historic abuse of a child as well as flouting the conditions of a court order imposed to protect the public.
John Thompson (71), whose address was given as no fixed abode but remanded in custody since his arrest, stood in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court where he admitted 38 historic charges comprising 24 counts each of sexually assaulting a child, four of causing a child to engage in sexual activity and a single count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
Offending occurred over various dates between December 27, 2018 and December 28, 2021.
However, he also admitted 15 counts of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) imposed after his previous convictions.
These matters occurred between November 2013 and January 2016 and included failing to inform his designated risk manager that he had entered into a relationship and changed address, as well as having contact with a child on numerous occasions.
A number of additional charges were left on the court books after a prosecuting lawyer advised the accepted matters met the seriousness of the case.
Thompson spoke only to confirm his name and to plead guilty to each charge in turn.
A defence barrister requested an adjournment for pre-sentence reports to be prepared and to have a psychological assessment carried out.
Judge Mark McGarrity agreed and listed sentencing for December 15.
Thompson was remanded in continuing custody and ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register, the duration of which will be decided at sentencing.
When the case first reached court, a detective explained the child attended with police on December 20, 2025 accompanied by her mother, after disclosing that Thompson had sexually assaulted her when she was younger.
The mother informed police she challenged Thompson and he admitted touching the child.
Enquiries revealed Thompson was a registered sex offender with relevant convictions for which the SOPO was imposed at Dungannon Crown Court in February 2013, which banned him from entering any relationship with a female without verified disclosure of his record.
It further prohibited all contact with children.
The SOPO expired in February 2020 but throughout the majority of this being live, he failed to disclose he was in a relationship.
Thompson was arrested and told police he was “Holding his hands up as he didn’t want the child to have to come to court.”
However, he went on to say the child “guided his hand and encouraged him to touch her sexually”, which he did although he knew it was wrong.
Thompson accepted knowing he was not permitted contact with children but claimed the conditions ceased to apply once the probation period had expired.
He contended he was never asked about the SOPO conditions despite records indicating when spoken to by his designated risk manager in both 2018 and 2019 he claimed not to be in a relationship and lived with his brother where no children were present at any time.
Bail was opposed by the detective who said, “There is propensity for offending and police have concerns that he believes a seven-year-old wanted this. It shows if there was an opportunity he may not be able to control himself.”
The judge on that occasion was scathing of Thompson stating: “Someone so warped and devoid of normal human processing, would be capable of reoffending. He believes he had consent and that a seven-year-old child encouraged him to sexually abuse her. How could any moral human being believe that would be right? Anyone still holding that belief cannot be regarded as safe.”
Bail was refused and Thompson has remained in custody ever since.
