WILLIAM PADEN, SERIAL SEX OFFENDER, FACES JAIL IN NEWTOWNARDS

In September 2014, William James Paden, a 60-year-old convicted sex offender from Ballyrainey Road in Ards, faced further legal action after breaching a court order. Paden, who previously was the subject of a UK and Ireland-wide manhunt, had given a false name and made misleading claims to his new girlfriend, including that he had £8 million in savings he could not access. He was living with her, her twin daughters, and a granddaughter at her house in Kircubbin for approximately four months. Despite his deception and the shock expressed by the woman, who chose to stand by him, Paden denied living there for as long as alleged and dismissed claims about his savings. He admitted to providing a false name, citing the legacy attached to his real name, but pleaded guilty to breaching notification requirements of the sex offenders register between November 18 last year and April 15 this year.

Previously, Paden, assessed as a "category two offender" posing a significant risk, had been involved in a series of criminal episodes dating back to 1974. His convictions include rape, indecent exposure, assault with intent to rape, indecent assault on a female child, sending abusive messages via telecommunications, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and breaches of sexual offence orders. He was once at the center of a UK and Ireland-wide manhunt in June 2010 after fleeing from Lancashire, leading officers to arrest him in Cavan, where he served a four-month sentence for breach of the orders.

At Newtownards Crown Court, the judge, Piers Grant, postponed sentencing to Wednesday to establish additional conditions for Paden’s lifelong sexual offences prevention order. Prosecutor Sam Magee noted the police investigations which revealed that Paden had lived under a false identity, failed to disclose previous convictions, and falsely claimed substantial savings, all while living at the address he did not register on the sex offenders register. Despite the woman's feelings of betrayal, she continues to support him. Paden, who previously faced 19 sexual convictions including rape, indecent assault, and sexual offences involving minors, was also described by authorities as a dangerous individual unlikely to change.

In mitigation, Paden’s lawyer, Alan Blackburn, argued that he had already paid a significant price, having spent nearly 150 days on remand, and that the relationship might be his last opportunity at a meaningful connection.

Earlier in April 2014, Paden was remanded into custody after appearing before Newtownards Magistrates' Court charged with failing to notify police of his address—a breach of sex offenders register requirements. Police, represented by a PSNI detective from the Public Protection Unit, expressed concern over his high-risk status, citing his extensive criminal history and past breaches of court orders. The officer emphasized that Paden, considered a high-risk contact sexual offender, posed a serious threat of re-offending given his past behavior and current attitude.

Paden’s previous criminal record, which includes 19 convictions since 1974, features serious offenses such as rape, assault with intent to rape, and indecent assault on a child. In June 2010, after fleeing from Lancashire, Paden was located in Cavan after a week-long manhunt involving sightings across England, Scotland, and Ireland, resulting in a four-month detention after admitting the breach.

Solicitor Hugh Ross proposed that Paden be released on bail under strict conditions, asserting that Paden’s wrongdoing was only in not informing authorities about his new relationship with a woman in her 40s, who remained supportive despite learning of his past. The court, however, rejected the bail request, with District Judge Mark Hamill describing Paden as a "serious, serial sexual predator" with an "appalling record" and a history of disregarding court orders. Paden was ordered to reappear via video link on May 22, with the court clearly stating that, regardless of the Public Prosecution Service's approach, he would be prosecuted in the Crown Court, carrying a maximum penalty of five years if convicted.