Ernest Roy Blackwell

Ernest Roy Blackwell, a 61-year-old sex offender from Northfleet, has been sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting an 11-year-old girl in a playground. The incident occurred in July 2001 at Avery Hill Park in Eltham, where Blackwell, who worked as a waiter, approached the girl and her two friends while they were playing.

According to court proceedings at Blackfriars Crown Court, Blackwell struck up a conversation with the children before hugging them and rubbing their necks. He specifically touched one girl on the breast and offered the group five pounds if they would return to the playground the following day. The children reported the encounter to their parents upon returning home, prompting Greenwich officers to arrest Blackwell at his residence on Pier Road, Northfleet.

Blackwell denied the sexual assault charges, maintaining that his actions were merely friendly cuddles. However, the judge described him as a 'dangerous man' and a 'menace to society's young children', emphasising that imprisonment had removed him from circulation. In addition to the two-year custodial sentence handed down on 6 December 2001, Blackwell will serve three years on licence upon release and remain on the sex offenders' register for a further ten years.

This offence marks a repeat violation for Blackwell, who was already a convicted sex offender prior to this incident. Sergeant Rod Chapman from North Kent Police highlighted the rigorous monitoring of such individuals in the community, noting that high-risk offenders like paedophiles face frequent home visits and assessments by a panel comprising police and social services workers. The case underscores ongoing efforts to protect children from predatory behaviour, with police maintaining vigilant oversight post-release.