JOHN FISHER SENTENCED IN IPSWICH COURT AFTER GIRL'S BRAVE ACT OF CATCHING PAEDOPHILE

In March 2012, a brave 10-year-old girl in Ipswich used her Nintendo DS games console to capture an image of a man molesting her, leading to his arrest and convictions. John Fisher, aged 46 and from Lowestoft, Suffolk, was detained after the girl showed police the photo, which officers described as 'indisputable proof' of his guilt.

Fisher was sentenced to three and a half years in prison at Ipswich Crown Court. The court heard that he had initially assaulted the girl when she was nine years old. She confided in her mother, but no action was taken at that time. Over a year later, when she was 10, Fisher attacked her again.

Prosecutor Robert Sadd explained that the girl’s quick thinking prompted her to take a photograph of the assault with her Nintendo DS's camera. Fisher, who admitted to two counts of sexual assault—one in January 2010 and another in November 2011—was convicted accordingly. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely and was placed under a sexual offences prevention order that restricts contact with children under 16 for the next decade.

Judge John Holt emphasized that Fisher’s offences were serious enough to meet the threshold for detention. Defending Fisher, Steven Dyble acknowledged the crimes and stated that Fisher had not committed similar offences before or served time in prison, adding that Fisher had openly acknowledged his attraction to early teenage girls.

Following the sentencing, Suffolk Police’s Det Con Annabelle Bunn praised the girl for her bravery and quick thinking. She commented, 'Her quick thinking in using her games console to take a photograph of him touching her provided indisputable proof of what had happened.' Bunn further noted, 'She was brave enough to come forward and report the incident and give us a full and accurate account of what had gone on.' She concluded, 'Although Fisher initially denied assaulting her, when confronted with the image he had no choice but to concede he had done exactly as she had reported.'