Girls (9) inadvertently added Co Antrim man to WhatsApp group and then he sent inappropriate image of himself
A Co Antrim man who was, a court heard, accidentally added to a WhatsApp group by two nine-year-old girls in England who thought they were inviting a friend, then sent an "inappropriate" image of himself.
Jason Stephen McCullough (37), formerly with an address at Gracehill near Ballymena but now with an address listed as Highfern Gardens in Belfast, pleaded guilty to charge of making a 'sexual communication' with a child in relation to February 16 last year.
On Thursday (May 8), he appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court via video link from prison, where he has been on remand.
During an earlier court hearing a police officer said two nine-year-old girls in England received a sexualised photo of a male "just in his boxers". When interviewed the defendant admitted it was him in the photo.
At Thursday's court it was heard two girls in Co Durham had set up a WhatsApp group and they thought they were adding a male friend but, according to a prosecutor, "it would appear then that they inadvertently added the defendant's contact number. There must have been one digit different in the number".
She added: "The defendant then engaged in some communication with them and began to speak with them separately outside of the group and then he sent one image to both of the children. Then one of the children had shown their mother the image and that was how it became known to police."
The prosecutor said the defendant's actions had been "opportunistic and not pre-meditated".
A defence barrister said the defendant was remanded in custody on March 10 on the charge. He had been given bail to an address in Belfast on March 20 but after there had been a "threat" against him he had "voluntarily returned" himself to a police station and the next day on March 21 he was remanded back to prison after "one day out".
The barrister said the defendant "was accidentally added to a WhatsApp group with a number of female children. He responded with this photograph and it was then very quickly stopped".
District Judge Nigel Broderick said "any sexual communication with a child is a serious matter".
He said: "I have seen the image. It is wholly inappropriate that it was sent especially to two nine-year-old children."
The defendant, who had "no relevant record", was given a four months prison sentence and was put on the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years.