Man allegedly told 14-year-old girl he ‘cannot stop messaging her until he finds the strength to stop or is convicted’, Craigavon court hears
A man accused of meeting a 14-year-old girl following sexual grooming allegedly told her he 'cannot stop messaging her until he finds the strength to stop or is convicted'.
Ross Paul Rodwell, aged 46, whose address was listed as Bishops Stortford in England appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court via video link from Maghaberry Prison.
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He is facing three charges including meeting a child following sexual grooming on October 19, 2024, sexual communication with a child between March 1 and October 19, 2024 and possessing an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child between similar dates.
District Judge Philip Mateer heard Rodwell had been granted bail last October, 2024 however breached it in November and was refused High Court bail.
A PSNI officer said Rodwell had been bailed to live in England at his parent’s address but breached it by contacting the complainant.
"On the instructions of his own solicitor, he travelled to Belfast to be arrested for the breach of bail. On his way over he had been making contact with the complainant via the internet.
"He was making plans to circumvent the bail conditions and contact the complainant via other websites and apps.”
The district judge was told Rodwell had breached bail three times, when his conditions said he must have no contact with the alleged victim, no contact with children under the age of 18 and not to be in possession of any personal devices capable of connecting to the internet.
"He contacted the 14-year-old injured party en route to Belfast, discussing the case against him, his knowledge of the bail conditions and the fact that he is breaking them. He talks about a website he is creating so they can communicate without anyone knowing and using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide his activities from police,” said the officer.
"He states he is using his work devices to chat to the complainant by downloading an online gaming app. He discusses how he can talk to her if he gets approval from social services and her parents to bypass his bail condition and that he cannot stop messaging her until he finds the strength to stop or is convicted,” the officer said.
The officer told the district judge he had the ‘chat messages’ in court.
District Judge Mateer said: “I think you have given me adequate information.”
Rodwell’s lawyer said the bail breaches are accepted. "He accepts the breach. He’s been in custody since November,” said the lawyer, adding that ‘ongoing delays’ led to the bail application.
The prosecution said this file is being dealt with by the Serious Crime Unit.
“It is a very big file. There is obviously a very large investigation and that is why it has taken such a long time,” said the prosecutor, adding she hoped the file would be with the PPS within two weeks.
Refusing bail, District Judge Mateer said: “The prosecution are still of the view that this man has a predilection to engage in the type of behaviour that is set forth in the charges and I have been given examples of how that resulted in a breach the last time.
"The High Court heard an application in November and refused it on the basis that he was likely to continue to offend.”