Man (63) pleads guilty to breaching Sexual Offences Prevention Order by attending church services in Ballymena area
A 63-year-old convicted sex offender has pleaded guilty to breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by attending church services in the Ballymena area.
Stanley Richmond, of Galgorm Road in Ballymena, breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by attending Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church on November 16, December 7 and December 14 last year.
He also attended, according to the charge sheet, 'the grounds' of Elim Pentecostal Church in Ballymena on December 6. The defendant appeared at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday via video link from prison.
A defence solicitor said they had been "technical breaches" by being at churches but there were "no follow-on offences".
The defendant was further remanded in custody and the case was adjourned to February 5 for a pre-sentence report.
A police officer had told an earlier hearing the defendant was made the subject of a SOPO in 2023. As part of the SOPO he was "prohibited from attending a place of worship unless he had a signed contract of behaviour agreed between himself and the church leaders approved by Social Services and/or his designated risk manager".
The defendant had previously been in court on Saturday December 13 in relation to breaching the SOPO by attending "Elim Church without a signed contract of behaviour".
He had been released on bail on December 13. He then attended Ballymena Free Presbyterian Church on December 14. He had also been there on November 16 and December 7 in breach of the SOPO. He was interviewed and reported for another breach of the Order on November 2.
The defendant told police he fully admitted breaching the Order saying he "only wanted to go to church".
The officer told a December 16 court the PSNI were concerned that the defendant would continue to breach the Order and given the approach to Christmas it was "even more likely that children will be in attendance at church services".
The officer said police "do not believe that the defendant is a risk of deliberate serious harm to the public but at the same time he has committed a sexual offence against a child in the past".
That court heard the defendant has permission to attend a library between 10am-2pm "whenever there is less likelihood of there being children about".
The defence solicitor told the December 16 court the defendant "spends his life walking the streets of Ballymena" and is "well known throughout the locality".
The solicitor said the defendant "felt called" to go to church. He lives a "lonely existence" and had gone there for "company".
The solicitor said the defendant apologised. He said his client had "mental health issues" and has a social worker.
On December 16, District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had been "fortunate" to get bail on December 13 and was given a "clear warning" that any breach would lead to him being remanded in custody but had re-offended.
Refusing bail he said there was a high risk of the defendant further breaching the SOPO. The case had then been adjourned to January 8.
At court in 2023 Richmond had pleaded guilty to inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.
A 14-year-old girl was on her way to the toilet during a church service when the defendant made inappropriate comments to her.