Teenager accused of indecent images of children back in custody

A teenager in the care system accused of making indecent images of children and disturbing comments about the children murdered in the Southport tragedy has been remanded in custody two days after he was granted bail by the High Court.
The defendant, whose identity cannot be established due to his age, is accused of possessing, producing and distributing indecent images of children between January 1, 2023 and August 8, 2024.
A police officer had previously stated before Dungannon District Court that the teenager's brother had confessed to being sent nude pictures of children aged between five and ten several times a week for over a year.
He told the defendant that the pictures were unwanted and that he should stop sending them, otherwise the police would be informed. But the defendant remained persistent.
The images were sent via Facebook and X-Box and shown on video calls, leaving the brother “angry and upset.”
He told police that the defendant had “a strange obsession with young people and wanted to rape young children.”
He sent his brother a photo of a report on the recent murder of three young children in Southport and wrote: 'This is a cemetery I need to dig up.'”
The teenager was arrested and admitted during questioning that he was in possession of several confiscated devices, but refused to answer questions about them or reveal the passwords.
An official said that although the defendant had no previous convictions, “there are numerous cases of sexual incidents and concern for children in the police system. He has already attacked staff, especially girls, in various children's homes with sexual undertones, some cases dating back to 2017.”
“The current reports and previous allegations indicate a serious risk of harm. There are safety concerns at his current residential facility as he is among other children, so he cannot return. Given the disturbing nature of this matter, police have serious concerns that (the youth) poses a serious danger to the public, particularly children.”
The judge refused bail at the time, saying: “His refusal to hand over the passwords suggests he has something to hide. These types of images are appalling and his comment about the children murdered in Southport frankly fills me with horror at what he is capable of. He is not fit to be released and certainly not without a full assessment of his dangerousness. There is a danger to the public, particularly children. We all know that real children suffered so that these images could be created and anyone who behaves like this should go straight to prison.”
However, after several hearings in the Supreme Court, the accused was granted bail and was able to return to the daycare center under strict protection measures.
At the recent court hearing, a police officer stated that although the teenager was free on August 28, he was arrested two days later after being outside the care facility without supervision, which he was prohibited from doing.
He told staff that he was leaving and “would rather return to the youth correctional facility.”
While speaking to officers, he claimed he would be back outside “as soon as the police leave” and mentioned that he intended to hurt himself.
Social workers said he “does not adhere to the safety plan in place. He leaves the facility unsupervised, which means two staff members have to follow him, obviously putting other young people at risk.”
The officer continued: “He has held out for two days and it is clear that he is at risk of breaching bail. Social workers say he has put himself and others at risk and there are no other conditions in place to prevent bail breaches. They say he is capable of carrying out his threats.”
A defense attorney asked District Judge Alana McSorley to release the youth, but he declined, saying, “Despite best efforts, (the youth's) behavior remains difficult to control. He poses a danger to himself and others that causes me great concern.”
On September 17, the case is mentioned again.

Posted: 10:45 am, September 5, 2024