A TEENAGER within the care system accused of indecent child imagery and disturbing commentary about the children murdered in the Southport tragedy has been returned to custody, two days after being granted High Court bail.
The accused who cannot be identified because of his age is charged with possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children on dates between1 January 2023 and 8 August 2024.
A police officer previously told Dungannon Magistrates Court the youth’s brother disclosed he had been sent naked images of children aged between 5 and 10, several times a week for over a year.
He told the accused the images were not wanted and to stop sending them or police would be informed, but this persisted.
The images were sent by Facebook, X-Box, and shown during video-calls, leaving the brother “angry and upset”.
He told police the accused, “Has a weird obsession with young people and wants to rape young children.
He sent his brother a photograph of a report on the recent murder of three young children in Southport stating, ‘This is a graveyard for me to dig up.’”
The youth was arrested and during interview admitted owning various seized devices but refused to answer questions about them or divulge the passcodes.
An officer said while the accused has no convictions, “There are numerous occurrences on police systems for sexual incidents and concerns for children. He has a history of assaulting staff in various children’s home, particularly females with sexual undertones, some dating back to 2017.
The current reports and previous allegations suggest serious risk. His current residential facility has safeguarding concerns for him being among other children so he cannot return. Given the disturbing content of this matter, police have serious concerns that (youth) is a serious risk to the public, particularly children.”
The judge on that occasion refused bail stating, “ His refusal to hand over passcodes indicates he has something to hide. These types of images are horrific and his comment about the children murdered in Southport frankly fills me with horror of what he’s capable of. He’s not fit to be released and certainly not without a full assessment as to dangerousness. There’s a risk to the public, particularly children. We all know actual children suffered for those images to be created and anyone indulging in that behaviour should go straight to prison.”
However following a number of High Court hearings, bail was granted for the accused to return to the children’s care facility with strict safeguarding measures.
At the latest court sitting a police officer explained while released on 28 August, the youth was arrested two days later after he was outside the care facility which was forbidden without supervision.
He told staff he was leaving and, “Would rather go back to the Juvenile Justice Unit.”
Officers spoke to him during which he contended he would “be out the minute police left” and made references of intentions to self-harm.
Social workers said he, “Isn’t adhering to the safety plan in place. He leaves the facility unsupervised which means two staff have to follow him, obviously leaving other young persons at risk.”
The officer continued, “He lasted two days and it’s clear there’s a risk of failing to adhere to bail. Social workers say he has put himself and others at risk and there are no other conditions which could be added to prevent breaches of bail. They say he is capable of carrying out the threats he makes.”
A defence barrister urged District Judge Alana McSorley to release the youth but he refused remarking, “Despite everyone’s best efforts (youth’s) behaviour is still challenging to manage. He presents a risk to himself and others which I’m very concerned about.”
The case will be mentioned again on 17 September.
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