Man 'confronted by paedophile hunter group' has been unable to get a bail address
A man confronted by a "paedophile hunter group" after being accused of attempting to have a 'sexual communication' with a decoy pretending to be a 14-year-old girl, has been unable to get a bail address.
Christopher James Bernard Lambe (47), whose address was given as Lanntara in Ballymena when he first appeared at court on the matter, is accused of 'attempted sexual communication with a child' between February 26 and March 9 this year.
He appeared back at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, this time via video link from prison. A defence solicitor said the defendant had previously been granted bail but has been unable to get an address.
A police officer told a previous court sitting that around 7.20pm on Sunday March 8 this year police received a report from a "paedophile hunter group named 'Child Online Protection Enforcers NI' reporting attempted sexual communications with a child by a male the group identified as the defendant".
She added: "The group had attended the defendant's address to confront the defendant about the behaviour and then contacted police. Upon police arrival, police spoke to a member of the group who reported that a number of weeks ago a male known to him as the defendant initiated contact with one of his group members who was acting as a decoy and pretending to be a 14-year-old female."
The officer said it was reported the defendant sent a number of "sexual messages" to the decoy over a number of days "without provocation and having been made aware that the decoy female was 14 years old".
The court was told that when the group had gone to an address they were informed the defendant was "out at the time" and when he "arrived home" he was "confronted by the group and police were contacted to attend".
Police arrived and spoke with the group and "seized a number of items". As a result of "information received" the defendant was arrested by police.
When interviewed by the PSNI the defendant said he used an app 'Skout,' which the officer said is an "18-plus app".
When shown screenshots he "admitted to continuing to message her after she had said she was 14" and "accepts that the messages were of a sexual nature". The officer said when the defendant was asked if he had messaged anybody else he said "no".
The defendant admitted to asking in the messages "for photographs of her in uniform". The officer added he admitted to wanting to have her watch him perform a lewd act and “admitted to continuing this after her disclosure of her age".
The officer said: "We would be concerned that there are other victims out there. We need to analyse things that have been seized."
The defendant had previously been given £500 bail and he was not allowed to have an internet-enabled phone. He is not to be in the company of anyone aged under 18 unless approved by social services.
The defendant has now been further remanded in custody, pending an address becoming available, and the case has adjourned to May 28.