PATRICK MCDONALD CRUMLIN SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND ENGLAND

In June 2021, Patrick McDonald, a man with a troubling history linked to sexual offences, was sentenced to six months in prison after being found guilty of voyeurism and invasive conduct in Northern Ireland. The offences took place in Co Armagh and Belfast, where McDonald’s actions raised serious concerns about privacy violations and predatory behavior.

McDonald, aged 26 and originally from Crumlin, was caught spying on individuals in public restrooms and gym showers. The court proceedings revealed that he had targeted victims in two separate incidents. One incident occurred at a Tesco Extra store, where McDonald was employed at the time, and the other at a David Lloyd gym located in Dundonald, on the outskirts of Belfast.

The court heard that on November 5 of the previous year, both McDonald and a victim were working at the Tesco store. During their shifts, they separately went to the toilet. The victim, while using Snapchat, received a message from a friend. When he opened the app, his front camera unexpectedly activated, revealing McDonald peering over the top of the cubicle and filming him without consent. This invasive act was captured on the victim’s device, highlighting the disturbing nature of McDonald’s behavior.

Earlier, in July and September of the same year, McDonald was involved in similar incidents at the David Lloyd gym. In the first incident, he was observed peering over the cubicle wall but fled the scene before being caught. In the second, a gym user noticed a shadow in the adjacent cubicle, but McDonald managed to escape the scene, as he was clothed while the victim was undressed. These repeated invasions of privacy demonstrated a pattern of predatory conduct.

McDonald’s criminal history extends beyond these recent incidents. In January 2018, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison at Reading Crown Court after a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation uncovered a sustained campaign of online grooming. During that investigation, authorities found that McDonald had used fake Facebook profiles, often posing as teenage girls, to approach thousands of boys. His goal was to persuade them to send indecent images of themselves, which he then sought to collect and exploit.

The NCA’s investigation revealed that McDonald’s online activities involved establishing contact with potential victims through fictitious profiles. Once initial contact was made, he would send sexual messages and explicit images, encouraging children to engage in sexual acts or send indecent photographs. McDonald admitted to officers that he had targeted at least 500 victims, though investigators believe the actual number could be significantly higher.

Following his arrest, McDonald pleaded guilty to charges of making indecent images of children and inciting children to engage in sexual acts. Despite the severity of his online offenses, there was no evidence to suggest that he had engaged in contact offenses involving physical contact with victims. As part of his sentence, McDonald was placed on the sex offender register for life and subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

During the recent court hearing in Craigavon, defense lawyer Ben Thompson acknowledged that McDonald was currently in custody after his prison release license was revoked due to the new offences committed in the gym and Tesco. The lawyer described McDonald as a degree-educated man who had previously served in the Royal Marines. He explained that McDonald found the military environment stifling during a period when he was dealing with personal issues, which may have contributed to his troubling behavior.

District Judge Bernie Kelly sentenced McDonald to a total of six months in jail, noting that she initially considered a longer sentence but decided to show leniency given the circumstances. Additionally, McDonald was ordered to sign the sex offender register for seven years, emphasizing the ongoing concern for public safety and the importance of monitoring his conduct.

Patrick McDonald’s criminal activities, both online and in public spaces, have garnered significant attention due to their disturbing nature and the breach of privacy involved. His case underscores the importance of vigilance and the need for strict legal measures to prevent such invasive and predatory behavior from continuing.