Co Armagh man pleads guilty to attempting to sexually communicate with a child
A Co Armagh man, who was caught attempting to sexually communicate with a child, must wait until next month to discover his sentence.
Lee Sheffield, aged 46, from Tandragee Road, Portadown appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with the attempted sexual communication with a child between October 29, 2023 and November 7, 2023.
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Sheffield’s barrister Mr Andrew Thompson said that recently District Judge Michael Ranaghan raised an issue of whether he should accept jurisdiction and asked the Public Prosecution Service revisit it.
"In the meantime I have consulted with him and it will be a guilty plea, whether it’s here or in the Crown Court,” said the barrister.
District Judge Ranaghan said he had a brief opportunity to look at the papers. “This is a decoy case – the decoy referencing a 14-year-old child. There is also a request for images that is not separately charged.”
Mr Thompson said he had dealt with cases of this nature in the Crown Court and “failed on the basis that the decoys are very careful how they set things out. They follow the case law and don't make the running in his case”.
District Judge Ranaghan said: “Unlike some of the vigilante groups, this was dealt with properly.”
“The main job of the court is to stop this type of disgusting behaviour and the best way to do that is not a few months in Maghaberry. It is to get to the root of the problem and then add a layer of direct punishment.”
He called for a pre-sentence report. The case was adjourned until April 11 and Sheffield is required to sign the sex offender’s register.