A FERMANAGH sex offender has been remanded in custody after breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by making contact with the mother of a child he abused.
Appearing before Omagh Magistrates Court was Emmett Rice (27), of Main Street, Maguiresbridge.
Connecting the charges, a detective sergeant told the court that in 2022, Rice has been convicted of sexually abusing a 10-year-old child and is currently subject to the SOPO, meaning he can have no contact with his victim or their family members.
Rice had been released from prison on November 2023 following a conviction in relation to a separate SOPO.
On December 8 this year, police attended Rice’s address where a woman, who was known to police and considered vulnerable, was asleep.
Police noted that the woman was ‘difficult to wake’ and when they asked Rice to confirm her name, he gave false information.
Police then uncovered that the woman was the mother of Rice’s victim.
When later interviewed, Rice confirmed he had allowed the woman to reside at his property.
When searches of the property was carried out, police discovered a bag of white powder which Rice confirmed was cocaine, claimed that he took £200 of the drug every day and had been selling it to fund his habit.
Police objected to bail, citing that Rice had just been released from prison for breaching a SOPO relating to a relationship with another vulnerable woman.
Police described Rice as a ‘man who places vulnerable females at risk’.
A defence solicitor said Rice was ‘also vulnerable’ due to his addiction issues and that the victim’s mother had stayed with Rice voluntarily.
District Judge Conor Heaney noted Rice had recently been released from prison for ‘directly relevant offences’ and said Rice is ‘leading a chaotic life’ and ‘engaging in highly questionable conduct’.
Judge Heaney said he was not satisfied Rice would adhere to any bail conditions.
Rice is due before Enniskillen Magistrates Court on January 5.
