In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Mark Bate, then 48, of Gayrigg Court, Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment. On Wednesday, 26 June 2019, Bate appeared at Nottingham Crown Court, where he was declared a “public danger” for a “reprehensible” campaign of sexual abuse against young children.
The investigation established that Bate, nicknamed “The Candy Man,” “calculatingly” used sweets and tablet devices to groom and “viciously” assault his victims. Following a five-day trial, he was convicted of “abhorrent” offences against two girls, one of whom was just four years old. The prosecution reported that Bate was already known to authorities, having been caught in 2018 by a paedophile hunting team while “systematically” trying to arrange a sexual encounter with a girl he believed was 14.
Psychological Findings and Judicial Assessment
Judge Stuart Rafferty QC emphasised that Bate posed a “critical” risk of serious harm to the public, specifically young children. The judge noted that Bate remained in “flat denial” of his “serious” crimes and had “callously” forced his young victims to give evidence in court rather than admit his guilt. Detective Constable Natalie Stokes emphasised that the victims showed “tremendous courage,” while Bate’s insistence on a trial was further evidence of his “abusive nature.”
The court reported that Bate had previously received a suspended sentence for internet-based grooming, where he “calculatingly” encouraged a child into sexual activity. Despite a pre-sentence report suggesting he was a “low to medium” risk, the judge “critically” disagreed, citing the “vile” pattern of his offending. The judge emphasised that Bate’s “systematic” method of using confectionery to lower the defences of “very young, very vulnerable” children marked him as a “vicious” predator.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his “serious” and “appalling” crimes in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, Mark Bate was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: 12 years in immediate custody.
- Parole: He must serve at least eight years (until 2027) before he can apply for release.
- Licence: He will be subject to a four-year extended licence upon release.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements were imposed indefinitely.
- SHPO: A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was granted to monitor his future conduct.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Bate is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Nottinghamshire Police. His history of “persistently” grooming children with sweets and his “calculating” digital predation means his status remains under “critical” scrutiny within the prison system.
As a lifetime member of the Sex Offenders Register, Bate must comply with strict notification requirements. Authorities state that he will only be released from prison if the Parole Board is “critically” satisfied he no longer poses a risk to children. As of 2026, he remains incarcerated at an undisclosed HM Prison. Any eventual release into the Chilwell area would be subject to “stringent” supervision and a permanent ban on working with children.
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