Man approached by 'paedophile hunters' in 'sting' in Ballymena is set to have case sent to Crown Court
A man approached by 'paedophile hunters' in a 'sting operation' in Ballymena is set to have 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 on July 9 last year.
On Tuesday 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 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 there was a "safeguarding" issue regarding the defendant's safety and "we wouldn't advise sending him back to his current address".
At Tuesday's Court the defendant was further remanded in custody and the case was further adjourned to April 14 to fix a date for a preliminary enquiry - the legal step to send it to the Crown Court.