Sex offender called female 54 times

And twice in those calls he asked her if she was wearing any underwear.

James Bernard Anthony Carragher appeared last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court by way of videolink from Maghaberry prison.

He admitted that on December 18, 2012, at Plantation Road, Bleary, being the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order he used a mobile phone while prohibited from doing so.

The court heard that the injured party contacted police about ongoing phone calls which were making her concerned and distressed. The number was withheld.

A male asked her if she was wearing any underwear.

There were 54 calls in total and only 12 were connected. The caller only spoke once more to ask the same question.

Police inquiries with the service provider revealed that calls had been made from an unregistered phone.

Two banks cards had been used to top up the phone. One belonged to a female – who turned out to be the defendant’s partner at the time – and the other card belonged to Carragher.

He was the subject of a SOPO at the time and prohibited from having a mobile phone.

When police spoke to the defendant he said he could not remember anything because at the time he was in the throes of a drink and drugs addiction.

A solicitor representing Carragher said he had been dealt with at the Crown Court and released on licence but was later in court for a similar type of offence

District Judge Peter King said the matter should have been dealt with a lot sooner.

Imposing three months in custody to run concurrently with Carragher’s present sentence he said it should not interfere with his release date.