Man approached by 'paedophile hunters' in 'sting' in Ballymena has case sent to Crown Court
A man approached by 'paedophile hunters' in a 'sting operation' in Ballymena has had his case sent to the Crown Court.
William Sempey (47), with an address listed as Staffa Drive in Ballymena, is charged with attempting to have a sexual communication with a child between July 9 and August 5 last year.
He is also charged with attempting to cause a 'decoy child' to engage in engage in sexual activity between July 8 and August 6.
On Tuesday (April 28) he appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court sitting in Ballymena, via video link from prison, where he has been on remand.
A prosecutor told an earlier court that as part of the investigation police have "social media of the 'sting'."
A previous court was told that a "hostile crowd" gathered outside the defendant's address. A "sting" by a "paedophile hunter group" was livestreamed on the internet.
Objecting to bail at the earlier court, a police officer said that around 8pm on Friday August 8 police received a number of reports a "paedophile hunter group" was in the Ballykeel area of Ballymena and was "confronting" a male.
The group livestreamed proceedings on the internet. The male was accused of being a paedophile. A "hostile crowd" gathered.
A person had previously pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and the defendant had sent sexual messages and photographs, it was alleged. Screenshots were supplied to police.
The officer had said that there was a "safeguarding" issue regarding the defendant's safety and "we wouldn't advise sending him back to his current address".
At Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, on Tuesday (April 28) the defendant was further remanded in custody as he has been unable to perfect his bail. The case was sent to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment on May 26.
The court was told that the defendant had previously been granted bail but had been unable to get an address.
The bail conditions of the £500 bail are to reside at an address to be approved by police and that he is not to have a device capable of connecting to the internet.