A young mother says she is horrified that authorities have mistakenly allowed convicted child molester Gareth Kitchener to live in her home.
Our papers list the 36-year-old as living on Union Street, in Ballymoney, but last weekend it turned out he hadn’t lived at that address for over a year.
Kitchener, pictured here, was jailed last week for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, though he was released on bail to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
Despite the child molester going to court last year to change his own bail address while awaiting trial on six charges of sexually touching a child, his address is being given to the press and the public as Union Street.
When we called the address looking for Kitchener, the door was opened by a toddler whose mother explained that she had already complained to the PSNI about the forgery.
“I can’t believe they still give this address for a sex offender, I told them months ago that he doesn’t live here,” said the mother, who didn’t want to be identified surprisingly.
“I got official letters for this man telling me how he was accused of child abuse,” she told the Sunday World.
“I had never heard of this person, but I was shocked to think that people thought there was a sex offender living here. I went to the police and told them something was wrong.
“I’ve never met Gareth Kitchener and I don’t even know when he lived here. All I know is that I came to live here on July 15th.
“I’m not happy about it at all, but luckily the people in this area know me well enough.”
Kitchener was due to hear an appeal Thursday, but the case was adjourned, but the courts continue to list his address in Union Street, which he left about 16 months ago.
It is not the first time that the incorrect address of a convicted sex offender has been repeatedly provided by the courts.
Last year it emerged that ex-teacher Colin Trory had been caught for the second time with indecent images of children.
The address the court had for him for his recent offenses was the old address in East Belfast where he had not lived for over 13 years.
Originally, the Sunday World went to the address on top of court papers available to the press detailing the ten new charges against him for which he pleaded guilty.
But a young couple with two young children lived at the address listed as Colin Trory’s.
The young couple said that Trory hadn’t lived there for over 13 years and that they had bought a relative’s property from him.
Gareth Kitchener tried to claim that inappropriate messages were sent to the young girl by one of his young children.
The 36-year-old father of four assaulted the girl who had befriended his own children, though he continues to deny he did anything wrong.
However, an Enniskillen Magistrates’ Court judge ruled he was guilty, telling Kitchener that he “initiated inappropriate behavior, touching, and language for his own gratification.”
The judge also described the work time sheets produced by Castlederg’s husband, which he said showed he was at work when the violations occurred, were “fraudulent.”
Kitchener continues to deny that he sexually touched the victim six times over a four-week period, culminating in September 5, 2020, while on a day trip with him and his family.
The court heard last week how on that day a relative of Kitchener approached the victim’s mother, expressing concerns about his sexual behavior towards the child.
Hysterically, the mother called Kitchener’s partner and told her to take the child home right away.
However, Kitchener insisted that his relative “as of that day has denied being anywhere near the mother.”
Aside from the day trip, he was adamant that he could not have been present when the incidents happened as he leaves for work at 6am and never returns home before 10pm, presenting timesheets to back this up.
Although he stated that his relative and employer had to testify, he was unable to explain why neither of them came to court to do so.
When district judge Steven Keown heard a police inquiry, “they wanted nothing to do with the case,” Kitchener claimed to be unaware.
He denied any inappropriate behavior and insisted, “I’m not that kind of person… I’ve never slapped her with one finger. Absolutely not… Everything she’s said is a lie. Every piece of it. I was always at work, Monday through Friday. I was never busy with the house.”
The victim’s mother described confronting her daughter about Kitchener’s behavior, but she initially denied that anything had happened.
When she pushed on, “she burst into tears,” she told the court. “She didn’t tell me because she didn’t want Kitchener’s partner to get in trouble.
“She told my daughter not to say anything or the social services would take her children. Can you imagine the position my child was in?”
Kitchener’s partner denied in court seeing any undue involvement with the child and on the day the mother discovered the behavior, she said, “I walked (the child) to her house. Her mother yelled a lot of swear words at me.”
After consideration, Judge Keown convicted Kitchener.
“The victim gave a detailed, unwavering story and the defendant denied this, claiming that she lied for unknown reasons. His evidence was selfish and unimpressive. I completely reject it and the evidence of his partner, who tried to sing the same hymn sheet, but they contradicted each other.
“The victim was reluctant to reveal what had happened, but when pushed, it collapsed and revealed everything. This was after Kitchener’s relative approached the mother with concern. This relative refused to go to court to testify. I am pleased that she warned the victim’s mother, so that she did not wish any further involvement.”
Kitchener’s alibi timesheets were also dismissed, with Judge Keown noting: “The employer – a convicted fraudster – also refused to go to court to verify these records. I do not accept that they are valid or legitimate. They are a fraudulent bill of hours worked.”
Judge Keown concluded: “The defendant saw a young girl befriend his children and manifestly engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, touching and language, for his own gratification.”
The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports showing Kitchener maintains his innocence and plans to appeal the convictions.
Judge Keown imposed a four-month prison sentence, along with a five-year sexual offenses injunction.
Kitchener was released on bail of £500 pending appeal. The appeal was on the list for last Thursday, but has been postponed until September.