JOHN MCCORMACK, THE REPEAT OFFENDER FROM KINGS HEATH AND LEICESTER, SENT BACK TO JAIL AFTER SHOCKING STORE INCIDENT

In a disturbing incident that has once again highlighted the dangers posed by a convicted sex offender, John McCormack, also known as Jam Morgan, was caught engaging in inappropriate behavior towards a young child in Leicester. The incident occurred just 23 days after McCormack was released from prison, raising serious concerns about his ongoing risk to the community.

On November 25, McCormack was under close surveillance by authorities who were monitoring his movements following his recent release. The officers observed him approach a five-year-old boy in Tesco, located on Granby Street in Leicester city centre. The child was in the sweets aisle, holding onto a pushchair that contained a baby, while an adult supervisor was momentarily away from the scene. During this brief window, McCormack was seen deliberately rubbing his right leg against the young boy for approximately 20 seconds. Covertly, he was also touching himself with his hand concealed in his pocket, an act that was clearly inappropriate and indicative of his prior offending behavior.

When the supervising adult returned, McCormack quickly moved away from the child. However, he did not leave the scene immediately; instead, he made a brief return to the child when he believed he was not being observed. The child responded by moving around the pushchair to avoid further contact. After the adult took the child out of the store, McCormack was seen lingering nearby outside another shop, although on this occasion, there was no physical contact. The police and store staff’s observations confirmed the troubling nature of his actions.

Leicester Crown Court was informed of McCormack’s extensive criminal history, which dates back to 1998. The court heard that he, of no fixed address, had previously served a three-year sentence for indecently assaulting a child. His record also includes a nine-month imprisonment for breaching a sex offenders prevention order (SOPO), which explicitly prohibited him from having contact with children. Further breaches led to additional jail terms: a four-year sentence in 2002 for initiating contact with children after breaching the SOPO, a three-year sentence in 2007 for offenses involving physical contact with a child, and another three-year term in 2009 for breaching the SOPO again. McCormack was released early on a licence but continued to pose a significant threat.

During the sentencing hearing, Sally Bamford, representing McCormack, argued that the young boy involved was too young to comprehend what was happening. She emphasized that McCormack recognizes his serious issues and requires professional help. She also mentioned that he was scheduled to attend a course in prison aimed at addressing his behavioral problems.

However, Judge Christopher Metcalf was unequivocal in his assessment. He highlighted that McCormack had committed at least eight breaches of the SOPO in the past, marking him as a very high-risk sex offender. The judge stated, “The aggravating part of this offending is you’ve been subject to no less than eight breaches of SOPOs in the past. You’re a very high-risk sex offender. You targeted a boy in a store and moved around him, touching him.” Despite the severity of his past crimes, the judge acknowledged that McCormack now expressed a desire for treatment, which he would receive at the prison where he was to be incarcerated.

In a related case from November 2002, McCormack made legal history in Northamptonshire by becoming the first individual to be banned from having contact with children under a new legislation. Since the law’s implementation over two years ago, he had repeatedly visited children in Northampton, raising alarms about his ongoing danger. During routine police checks, it was discovered that McCormack, then 25, had befriended a man whose sister had two young children, aged four and six. On one occasion, he was seen playing computer games with the sister’s son, who could not be named for legal reasons, while they were alone in the child's bedroom. Additionally, McCormack was observed spending time at a public house engaging in activities such as play fighting with the children.

He pleaded guilty to three breaches of his banning order during a hearing before Northampton magistrates. Prosecutor Suraj Minocha detailed that McCormack had visited the Northampton address multiple times, including times when children were left alone with him. The breaches also included failing to notify police of a change of address and absconding from supervision. These violations occurred between September 19 and October 7 of that year. The court emphasized that McCormack’s history of sex offenses made these breaches particularly concerning.

McCormack, who resides on Swale Drive in Kings Heath, appeared via video link from Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes. His defense attorney, Stuart Jefferies, acknowledged the breaches but stressed that there were no allegations of indecency involved in these incidents. He argued that the contact was innocent but still a violation of the court order, and that McCormack had no reasonable excuse for being around the children.

Overall, the cases underscore the ongoing threat posed by John McCormack, a man with a long history of sexual offenses and multiple breaches of legal restrictions designed to protect children. His latest actions in Leicester and Northampton highlight the persistent challenges law enforcement faces in managing high-risk offenders and the importance of vigilant monitoring and strict enforcement of court orders.