Jordan Maxwell: Lisburn man appears in court accused of trying to communicate sexually with a child

Jordan Maxwell, aged 20, confirmed he understood the single charge against him, which alleged that on April 16 this year, he attempted to communicate sexually with a child.

The charge alleges that Maxwell, from Hill Street in the city, intentionally engaged in sexual communication with a person he believed to be under 16 for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification.

A police constable said she was aware of the facts of the case and that she believed she could connect Maxwell to the charge, adding that while police were not objecting to bail “the issue with this defendant is that he has no suitable address to be released to”.

"If an address could be provided then we would have no objections,” the officer said.

Maxwell’s solicitor suggested that “bail could be granted subject to an address approved by police” but District Judge Eamon King asked him “how optimistic are you in getting that, because my experience is that if I grant bail on that basis the address never comes?”

He suggested that “you might think it would be better to hold fire until you get an alternative address and then come back”, emphasising that as there is no address available, Maxwell would be taken into custody no matter what happens.

The lawyer told the judge that Maxwell and his family had to leave their home as a result of the incident, adding that his mother is “doing her best” to secure a new address “and one that she will be able to take him to.”

"Sometimes there can be a bit of a drift, but I have confidence in his mother that she will do her utmost,” said the solicitor.

Judge King granted bail in the sum of £250 and added conditions that Maxwell must live at an address approved by police and that he has no unsupervised contact with children.

Maxwell was taken into custody with bail fixed and he will appear again on April 24.