Jail for Portadown sex offender who had Snapchat on his phone and entered into romantic relationship without declaring it
A Co Armagh sex offender, who had Snapchat on his phone and entered into a romantic relationship without declaring it, has been given a jail term.
The 24-year-old appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison.
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Fred Boyd, of Tandragee Road, Portadown had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
In the first charge he pleaded guilty to entering a romantic relationship without disclosing it to police as he was required to under the SOPO, on April 20 this year.
In the second charge, he pleaded guilty to using a device or software which does not retain internet data as he was banned from doing so under the SOPO on the same date.
A prosecutor told the court that police attended the defendant’s home address on April 20 this year to discuss a SOPO he is subject to.
During discussions, Boyd disclosed he had entered a new romantic relationship which he hadn’t declared to police.
It was also discovered that the mobile phone he was using had Snapchat on it – which is banned due to his SOPO which is in place until September, 2029.
Boyd’s barrister, Mr David McKeown, said his client has already spent a considerable amount of time in custody – the equivalent of a three months jail term.
Mr McKeown said his client has “significant support in the community”.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said he didn’t know much about Boyd but had has record which “is informative”.
"This is now the six and seventh breach of that SOPO which runs until 2029,” said the district judge.
He urged the Public Prosecution Service to take note of this and suggested any future breaches of the SOPO be dealt with at Crown Court level which has considerably enhanced powers.
"Perhaps in the custodial environment work could be done with Mr Boyd that can also be done outside of prison,” said the district judge.
"I have two breaches here. He is breaching it continually,” said District Judge Ranaghan, sentencing the defendant to five months for each offence.
"There is a linkage between these two offences so I will make them concurrent,” he said, adding a £25 offender levy.