Paedophile abused girl, 4, in Watford clothes store (From Watford Observer)

Paedophile Steven Fitzgerald abused girl, 4, in Watford Primark store

5:00pm Sunday 9th September 2012 in News By Court Reporter

A paedophile who was caught abusing a four-year-old girl in a Watford clothes store has told a court he cannot control his depraved urges.

Judge Andrew Bright told Steven Fitzgerald he could spend the rest of life in jail because of the threat he poses to young girls.

St Albans Crown Court heard how on August 13 last year the 54-year-old was being watched by security staff in Primark, Watford, when he approached a girl as she stood behind her mother, who was looking through clothing rails.

The drunk then put his hand up the girl's dress and into her knickers before she called out to her mother. As Fitzgerald, of Queens Gate in Lord Street, Watford, moved away from the scene security staff saw he was exposing himself over the top of his jeans.

His subsequent arrest sparked a woman to come forward about a string of sex assaults over a six year period in the late 90s when she was aged between six and 11, which he had told her were a "game".

The six counts of abuse included touching the girl inappropriately and forcing her to pleasure him.

Fitzgerald pleaded guilty to all seven charges and admitted to having "urges he can't control" in report by probation.

The court heard how he had nine previous convictions for sex offences, beginning when he was 17 for indecent assault and included a similar offence to his latest, of sexually assaulting a young girl in a supermarket in 2004 and again in 2008.

He had previously been on the sex offenders register and was subject to police monitoring, but that had ended by the time of his latest offence.

Judge Bright said: "You are someone who has a sexual interest in young girls and an entrenched history in sexual offending, putting your own sexual gratifications before the rights and feelings of young girls.

"You are without doubt a dangerous offender. You pose a significant risk to members of the public, and young girls in particular. The danger is so great that it is not possible for me to release you into the community.

"Imprisonment for the public protection is the only course for me to take."

Fitzgerald was sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment for the historic sexual assaults, and two years for the sexual assault last year, to run consecutively.

However, under the public protection order he could spend the rest of his life in prison - only being released when he is no longer deemed a danger to the public - but must serve at least half of his sentence.

Upon his release he will be put on licence for a minimum of ten years.