Hainesport Man Convicted Of Child Sex Assault In Pennsylvania: DA

A South Jersey man who said he “sacrificed himself” for a 9-year-old girl’s sexual education has been convicted of sexual abuse, authorities announced on Friday.

Thomas Padikal, 71, of Hainesport, has been found guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child and related crimes stemming from his years-long abuse of a girl, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

“The defendant has managed to rationalize the unthinkable,” Deputy District Attorney Kristin McElroy said. “He never banked on [the victim]’s bravery. He never banked on justice.”

The abuse began in 2007, when the girl was 8 years old, according to authorities. The abuse went on for more than two years, until the victim moved away and Padikal no longer had contact with her, authorities said.

Padikal remained in the area for several years. He worked as a physicist in the fields of radiology and oncology before eventually moving to New Jersey, authorities said.

In the ensuing years, he followed the victim on social media, created a website dedicated to his obsession with her, authorities said. He also kept a PowerPoint file in which he kept numerous pornographic images with the victim’s face superimposed on the bodies of grown women, authorities said.

He also sent her text messages and told her in a phone call that he “sacrificed himself” for her sexual education, according to authorities. The phone call was recorded by Bensalem police. He was arrested in November, with assistance from New Jersey State Police.

The jury, having heard from the victim, viewed Padikal’s messages and heard the recorded phone call among other evidence, delivered its verdict after less than a half hour of deliberation. Testimony lasted about two and a half days.

Padikal’s bail was revoked. Sentencing was remanded for 60 days while he undergoes a mental health assessment and pre-sentence investigation. He will remain in jail while he awaits sentencing.