Mum's anger over paedophile in Brighton park

1:20pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News

Charlene Vickery was shocked to discover her daughter was yards away from a convicted paedophile Charlene Vickery was shocked to discover her daughter was yards away from a convicted paedophile

A mother has said she will never go back to a park after learning her two-year-old child was just yards from a convicted paedophile.

Horrified mother Charlene Vickery has said she will not return to Pavilion Gardens in Brighton after learning that her daughter Chloe was just yards away from convicted sex offender Kenneth Parker.

Pictures published in a national newspaper over the weekend appeared to show 57-year-old Parker staring at a blonde child in Pavilion Gardens.

Miss Vickery said she knew the moment she saw the picture in the paper that it was her daughter that he was looking at.

Parker was branded one of Britain’s most wanted men and was on the run for ten years in Europe with his brother Thomas before being caught and sent to prison last year.

He was released from Maidstone Prison three months ago and was staying in a halfway house in Brighton under a night-time curfew between 8pm and 8am.

He was convicted in 2005 of gross indecency with a boy under 16, indecently assaulting a girl under 16 and carrying out an indecent assault on a teenage boy.

'It made me sick'

Speaking to The Argus exclusively, Miss Vickery said: “I’m not going back to Pavilion Gardens.

“I know there are certain places you can’t go in Brighton, I won’t go to The Level late at night or to London Road on the days that the druggies get their fix.

“It’s dreadful that I can’t even go into Pavilion Gardens and have a coffee.”

Miss Vickery said when she saw the story in the newspaper she felt sick.

She said: “I know how my daughter’s hair curls and I knew what she was wearing that day so I knew as soon as I saw the picture and it made me feel sick to the stomach.

“When I spoke to the police, they said he was not in Sussex anymore and my daughter was not in his criteria.

“But I want to know his parole conditions. People should know where he is.”

The Argus contacted Sussex Police and the Ministry of Justice to ask about Parker’s current whereabouts but neither said they could comment on the incident.

Comments(38)

runnergirl says...
1:42pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Keep this in perspective, please. Arguably Pavilion Gardens is not a "park" (shame on you, Argus, you should know that) and the lady said herself that the police told her that her daughter was "not in his criteria". Is this feature just not a headline grabber?

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SmileyD says...
2:10pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Cheap, sensationalist journalism of the lowest kind by the national newspaper concerned in this case, and by The Argus. The most likely outcome of this sort of media-driven panic will be to drive such offenders into hiding where they will no longer be monitored, so making the possibility of them re-offending greater.(As was the case on that estate in Portsmouth a few years back.) Net result being that children will be at greater risk - so well done to The Argus; but at least it might add a few onto the circulation figures!

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made up says...
2:14pm Thu 20 Sep 12

"I do not go to London Road on days when druggies get their fix"
Did she seriously say this or are The Argus having a laugh. Please tell me which day this happens to be - I was under the impression this was every day.

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Number Six says...
2:15pm Thu 20 Sep 12

People should know where he is.”


Why? It's not where he is that matters, it where he is not and he is not in Sussex (unless someone thinks the Police are lying).

The story (!) now become "Mum won't go to a Brighton Park because a paedophile isn't there"

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dhamallamafarmer says...
2:25pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Looks like she lives in Moulescombe anyway, hardly one of the safest parts of Brighton is it?

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lordenglandofsussex says...
2:27pm Thu 20 Sep 12

These vermin should be hanged, plain and simple.

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Charismatic Andrew says...
2:39pm Thu 20 Sep 12

I'm surprised she managed to identify her daughter from the photo in the paper as she doesn't appear to have any distinctive features at all. Her face just looks like a blotchy mess to me.

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HJarrs says...
2:46pm Thu 20 Sep 12

If you follow the logic, where would this end? Locking the child away? Apparently most children are abused by people they know. Do you prevent relatives or friends coming round to the house?

Whilst this incident may have been disconcerting, the child was supervised by mum in a busy public place, so I would suggest at no risk.

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made up says...
3:39pm Thu 20 Sep 12

So it's horrifying that a paedophile might be looking at her daughter but not one criticism of the photographer taking photos of the paedo and her daughter in a park? I'd be more concerned why people were taking pics of my kids.

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jamus77 says...
3:52pm Thu 20 Sep 12

A pointless, cheap, sensationalist story, worthy of the gutter press. I hate to state the bleeding obvious, but paedophiles are everywhere, only most of the time we are blissfully unware of their presence. This Charlene Vickery is clearly not one of life's great thinkers. "People should know where he is", she says. Really??? Pop the kettle on and think that one through, love.

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GreggWallace says...
4:41pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Have we seriously become so paranoid in this country that we have to pixelate a photo that happens to contain a child's face in it?

I really really despair.

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s&k says...
4:45pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Might be helpful to parents to print a picture of the offender in question.

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just-a-person says...
5:01pm Thu 20 Sep 12

dhamallamafarmer wrote:
Looks like she lives in Moulescombe anyway, hardly one of the safest parts of Brighton is it?
Regardless of where she lives her child deserves to be safe. Unfortunately every stranger around your child has to be looked at as a possible threat these days. It's a sad world we live in.

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a person says...
7:00pm Thu 20 Sep 12

If a paedophile is in a park it should make no difference to the safety of your child.
I would imagine that most parents do not take their eyes off their young children in a park in any case.
People should be responsible for their own children.

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c.vickery says...
7:26pm Thu 20 Sep 12

i was told he wasn't in the country which is a load of rubbish as i saw him in the week up western road! i was also told she does not in his criteria, THEN WHY WAS THIS GUY SAT NEXT TO ME STARING AT MY DAUGHTER!!! THEN ONCE I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME HE LEFT SUDDENLY!!!

jamus77, who do you think you are by insulting me!!!!! people should know where all peadophiles are in there area as the possess a risk to our children!!!!

I asked my daughter's face to be pixelated for personal reasons so no one has the right to judge me or my views!!!!!

if you go on the sun website and look up kenneth parker you can see the picture of him which was dated last wednesday.

NO i do not live in moulscoombe way and i live in a safe and calm part of brighton. i was brought up in that place and thats not a place i want to be bringing up my child.

i have every right to report this story and i asked for a picture of him to be published so that people will know what he looks like and will recognise him. sadly this wasnt the case.

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Spx says...
7:45pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Well said Charlene!

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Hard times says...
9:32pm Thu 20 Sep 12

Nonce-sense

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
9:57pm Thu 20 Sep 12

This story is ludicrous.
Any person, on any street, man or woman, of any age could be a paedophile.
It just happens that this individual was convicted at some time. There are probably thousands of people wandering our streets, shops, parks, buses, swimming pools etc who are paedos but just haven't been caught.
These stories are always silly.
Also children are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a relative or a mother's boyfriend than a stranger.

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Bill in Hanover says...
10:01pm Thu 20 Sep 12

statistically everyone lives within 200 yards of a convicted paedophile in England so is she going to lock her child away, although it looks like she is just grabbing a bit of publicity due to the original photograph.

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c.vickery says...
10:34pm Thu 20 Sep 12

do you really think i wanted my child in a nationl newspaper?!?!?!!!!

why would i want publicity when i am already an accomplished adult at a young age. I dont need pubicilty for anything!!!

what i wanted out of this was to raise awareness to mothers out there like myself that you can't be too careful.

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NickBrt says...
12:01am Fri 21 Sep 12

let's remember most paedophiles are close family members of their victims. We're as safe in a park as anywhere. What about the paedophiles who've not been identified yet? Is she going to keep her child in solitary confinement until she's about 80?

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just-a-person says...
12:12am Fri 21 Sep 12

c.vickery wrote:
i was told he wasn't in the country which is a load of rubbish as i saw him in the week up western road! i was also told she does not in his criteria, THEN WHY WAS THIS GUY SAT NEXT TO ME STARING AT MY DAUGHTER!!! THEN ONCE I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME HE LEFT SUDDENLY!!!

jamus77, who do you think you are by insulting me!!!!! people should know where all peadophiles are in there area as the possess a risk to our children!!!!

I asked my daughter's face to be pixelated for personal reasons so no one has the right to judge me or my views!!!!!

if you go on the sun website and look up kenneth parker you can see the picture of him which was dated last wednesday.

NO i do not live in moulscoombe way and i live in a safe and calm part of brighton. i was brought up in that place and thats not a place i want to be bringing up my child.

i have every right to report this story and i asked for a picture of him to be published so that people will know what he looks like and will recognise him. sadly this wasnt the case.
No I do not live in "Moulsecoombe Way". Is that place so bad ? I am sure you have hurt your friends feelings who do live there with there children.

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
6:41am Fri 21 Sep 12

In the national press no one had a clue who the child was. Now you are all over the local paper and worldwide web and with your face showing and its ludicrous that the argus have hidden your childs face because we can see yours.
Peadophiles are everywhere it just happens that this one has been convicted so at least the cops have him on their radar.
What about the ones who could be stood next to you in any shop, queue etc who are paedos but haven't been caught yet. how do you know that another man or woman in pavilion gardens wasn't a paedophile?
Recently the press covered stories of a pedophile mum working in a nursery and a teenage boy.
Sadly there are perverts everywhere and most never end up in court.

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GreggWallace says...
8:13am Fri 21 Sep 12

c.vickery wrote:
i was told he wasn't in the country which is a load of rubbish as i saw him in the week up western road! i was also told she does not in his criteria, THEN WHY WAS THIS GUY SAT NEXT TO ME STARING AT MY DAUGHTER!!! THEN ONCE I MADE EYE CONTACT WITH ME HE LEFT SUDDENLY!!!

jamus77, who do you think you are by insulting me!!!!! people should know where all peadophiles are in there area as the possess a risk to our children!!!!

I asked my daughter's face to be pixelated for personal reasons so no one has the right to judge me or my views!!!!!

if you go on the sun website and look up kenneth parker you can see the picture of him which was dated last wednesday.

NO i do not live in moulscoombe way and i live in a safe and calm part of brighton. i was brought up in that place and thats not a place i want to be bringing up my child.

i have every right to report this story and i asked for a picture of him to be published so that people will know what he looks like and will recognise him. sadly this wasnt the case.
I'm not judging you for the decision to request your daughter's face be pixelated, what I am saying it is sad that you felt this a necessary thing to do. Your wishes can be respected whilst I feel sad that we live in such paranoid times of suspicion and caution. It works both ways, I'm entitled to believe it is sad that our society is so fearful of the next person we have to blur faces.

Maybe it would have been more respectful if you wanted your child's privacy for the photographer have just taken your photo as we can tell from the story you have a daughter.

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whereisthe...? says...
9:11am Fri 21 Sep 12

Idiot. Her kid's also been 'yards away' from speeding cars (which could also kill, but probably won't), household chemicals, (ditto), and statistically, ex prisoners, some of whom have killed.


Nutter.

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c.vickery says...
9:48am Fri 21 Sep 12

Obviously you don't have kids or a peadophile if you don't think that they possess a danger our children!!!!!

you have no right calling me an idiot. PRAT!!!!!

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runnergirl says...
12:48pm Fri 21 Sep 12

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
In the national press no one had a clue who the child was. Now you are all over the local paper and worldwide web and with your face showing and its ludicrous that the argus have hidden your childs face because we can see yours.
Peadophiles are everywhere it just happens that this one has been convicted so at least the cops have him on their radar.
What about the ones who could be stood next to you in any shop, queue etc who are paedos but haven't been caught yet. how do you know that another man or woman in pavilion gardens wasn't a paedophile?
Recently the press covered stories of a pedophile mum working in a nursery and a teenage boy.
Sadly there are perverts everywhere and most never end up in court.
There are some reasoned arguments here. But the Argus has been irresponsible by allowing a non-story like this to expose the girl to ridicule and spite. Charlene, your views are illogical and ill-thought-out, not the product of a thinking individual. And the Argus has colluded with them, which is a great shame.

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Number Six says...
1:17pm Fri 21 Sep 12

c.vickery wrote:
Obviously you don't have kids or a peadophile if you don't think that they possess a danger our children!!!!!

you have no right calling me an idiot. PRAT!!!!!
I'm struggling with this one. How do you have a paedophile?

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made up says...
1:46pm Fri 21 Sep 12

Does anyone remember the girl who came here defending her boyfriend for speeding in Ringmer?
Sometimes it's just best to shut your mouth instead of stoking the fire.

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RickH says...
2:26pm Fri 21 Sep 12

c.vickery wrote:
Obviously you don't have kids or a peadophile if you don't think that they possess a danger our children!!!!! you have no right calling me an idiot. PRAT!!!!!
I don't think anyone here disputes that paedophiles are a danger to children. However, what is disputed is the level of risk ie the odds of that paedophile attacking your child. It is clear that your child was with you, in a public place, with many other people around and your daughter did not falling within the category of the child that he has been known to target. Put quite simply, your child was at a vanishingly small risk and therefore many, myself included, see this and other articles and your reaction as a simple over-reaction ie you have over-blown the risk to unecessary proportions. By doing so, you simply play into the hands of those with a lynch-mob mentality and attract riducle here. No doubt your reaction is based on your desire to protect your daughter buut surely you can see that by dragging this out, you've managed to make her identity known nationally; an action whose rationale many would question and one that completely undermines your primary aim.

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Hard times says...
8:53pm Fri 21 Sep 12

We should pass a law that criminalises looking at children - just incase.

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elephantsandowls says...
2:42pm Sat 22 Sep 12

for those who think he might not be dangerous to smaller children because he's previously attacked young teens; as with many crimes there is an escalation towards more depravity as things get boring.

If she saw a paedophile staring at her child in a public park, why shouldn't she say so?

the man is obvs dangerous since he still likes to hang around kids, and should probably not have been released in the first place.

just google him so you know what he looks like, is my advice.

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Becca23254 says...
3:19pm Sat 22 Sep 12

http://www.thesun.co
.uk/sol/homepage/new
s/article4540929.ece


Take a look at the picture. Now I see why this mother is so upset.

Shame on the standard Argus readers that feel it necessary to criticise everything!

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c.vickery says...
7:12pm Sat 22 Sep 12

thanks you becca for your compassion. finally someone understands where im goming from. xx

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lillylou says...
10:34pm Sat 22 Sep 12

How can I find the picture of the scum need to show my kids cos you can't be with them when they get older all the time

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KarenT says...
10:52pm Sat 22 Sep 12

I'm not sure how people knowing who this man is, what he looks like, how that is going to make anyone's child safer. As has been stated here, anyone out there is a potential pedophile. I'd even go so far as to say that in just about every crowded public place there will be at least one weirdo that will be having "unnatural thoughts" about children. Sad but true. Every parent should be worrying about every single stranger that approaches her child, with equal diligence. But in reality pedophiles just don't just go up to kids in the street and run off with them. The much bigger problem exists where children are left in the care of professionals, teachers and carers, and this is where a network of shared information is critical. Even having said that, the vast majority of offences are committed by family members. I can understand the knee jerk panic if you are a parent, but I do agree that both the Argus and the Sun have made a huge tabloid meal of this. I mean those photos in The Sun, stating he was "ogling" the child. If we didn't know he was a pedo you'd think nothing of how he was looking at her. Tabloids trying to stir up panic to sell more papers as usual. It seems a bit pointless to avoid the Pavillion Gardens... he or any pedo might be at Churchill Square next time! But rest assured that crowded public places are the safest places you can be in this respect!

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tengri says...
11:10pm Sat 22 Sep 12

The usual nutters on here criticising the mother...give me strength... Well done Miss Vickery for keeping this in the spotlight. Castrate child sex offenders - better for them and everyone else.

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runnergirl says...
10:54am Sun 23 Sep 12

c.vickery wrote:
thanks you becca for your compassion. finally someone understands where im goming from. xx
No-one has any difficulty in understanding where you're coming from, I just feel you ought to understand others' points of view. Just because the Argus has given you some air time doesn't justify its actions - newspapers publish a load of tat every day, which is just what this is. And by the way - and I hope you don't think I'm being unkind - although I'm sure you are a very good mum, if you would like to set a good example to your daughter as she's growing up, suggest she learn how to construct a logical argument (preferably using correct grammar and punctuation) and avoid lazy thinking.

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