Man (63) breached Sexual Offences Prevention Order by attending church services in the Ballymena area
A 63-year-old convicted sex offender breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by attending church services in the Ballymena area.
Stanley Richmond, of Galgorm Road in Ballymena, breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by attending Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church on November 16, December 7 and December 14 this year, a court was told.
The defendant was at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena on Tuesday. A defence solicitor said the breach of the SOPO was accepted. Objecting to bail, a police officer said the defendant was made the subject of a SOPO in 2023.
As part of the SOPO the defendant is "prohibited from attending a place of worship unless he had a signed contract of behaviour agreed between himself and the church leaders approved by Social Services and/or his designated risk manager".
Tuesday's Court was told the defendant had previously been in court on Saturday December 13 in relation to breaching the SOPO by attending "Elim Church without a signed contract of behaviour". He had been released on bail on December 13.
He then attended Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church on December 14. He had also been there on November 16 and December 7 in breach of the SOPO.
He was interviewed and reported for another breach of the Order on November 2. The defendant told police he fully admitted breaching the Order saying he "only wanted to go to church".
The police officer said they were concerned that he will continue to breach the Order and given the time of year it is "even more likely that children will be in attendance at church services".
The officer said police "do not believe that the defendant is a risk of deliberate serious harm to the public but at the same time he has committed a sexual offence against a child in the past".
The court heard the defendant has permission to attend a library between 10am-2pm "whenever there is less likelihood of there being children about".
The solicitor said the defendant "spends his life walking the streets of Ballymena" and is "well known throughout the locality".
The solicitor said the defendant "felt called" to go to church. He lives a "lonely existence" and had gone there for "company". "He tries to get some solace in attending church services," said the solicitor.
The solicitor said the defendant apologised and did not wish to spend Christmas in jail. He said the defendant has "mental health issues" and has a social worker.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had been "fortunate" to get bail on December 13 and was given a "clear warning" that any breach would lead to him being remanded in custody but had re-offended.
Refusing bail he said there was a high risk of the defendant further breaching the SOPO. The case was adjourned to January 8.
At court in 2023 Richmond had pleaded guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.
A 14-year-old girl was on her way to the toilet during a church service when the defendant made inappropriate comments and he asked her to perform a sex act on him. The girl returned to her family and the defendant was pointed out.