April 2021

Pervert jailed for grooming 14-year-old girl

A paedophile who groomed a schoolgirl and wrote about their activities in his diary has been jailed.

Andrew McRoberts, from Ballinderry, Co Antrim, was handed a three-year sentence, half of which will be spent in jail and half on licence.

The 32-year-old pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child and possessing an indecent image of a child, all committed on dates between April 2018 and July 2019.

The farmer groomed and abused the 14-year-old girl, after he met her at a tractor rally. He then kept diaries of the sexual abuse which police found during a raid of his home.

Craigavon Crown Court was told police seized sex toys, restraints, explicit images of the victim and three used condoms with the girl’s DNA on them when they searched Andrew McRoberts’ home.

The court was told offences came to light in August 2019 when the victim’s parents were told by family friends of their suspicions regarding McRoberts and their daughter.

While the schoolgirl slept, her mum and dad examined her phone and uncovered “extremely sexual” messages on it from someone called Andrew, who it transpired was the defendant.

When his home was searched a “large number of items were seized”, including his diaries, sex toys and used contraceptives and officers also found evidence “there had been explicit photos shared between them”.

McRoberts was arrested and taken into police custody for questioning while his teenage victim underwent an ‘Achieving Best Evidence’ video interview with strained child-abuse detectives.

She outlined how she met McRoberts at a vintage tractor rally and after a week of exchanging messages, “he had said that he liked her,” even though she was only 14 at the time.

That was the start of the grooming and the abuse is said to have continued for about 16 months during which time, according to the teenage victim, they had sex “on 20-30 occasions”.

“She spoke throughout [the interview] as being in a relationship, a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship,” said the lawyer, who added that in reality “we know of course that it was a series of criminal acts by this”.

The schoolgirl told police “she sent pictures of her private parts to him… of her own freewill” and that he would send her sexually explicit images of himself as well.

McRoberts says he’s concerned he could lose his business if he’s sent to prison for a long time

“I f***ed up and I’m rightfully going to be punished,” he said.

“I’m going to jail, I’m prepared for that. I’m worried about being labelled as a paedo, I’m no paedo, I don’t see myself as a risk to others.

“I don’t have any previous convictions and I’m more than happy to work with probation and will do any therapy required.

“I’m worried if I go to prison for a very long time I’ll lose my business. I have staff members and customers relying on me.

“I’ve rang round my customers and explained the case and most have agreed to continue to give me business.

“If I go to jail I’d like to do therapy work and other courses. I have two degrees in mechanical engineering and a masters.”

As well as the prison sentence, McRoberts was also told to register as a sex offender

April 2021

Belfast man avoids jail over attempting to possess indecent image of a child

A north Belfast man who attempted to possess an indecent image of a child was spared an immediate period in jail today.

Jonathan Evans appeared at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with his solicitor’s office, where he was handed a 12-month sentence.

Judge Donna McColgan QC suspended the sentence for two years and informed Evans he will be on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.

The 36-year old, from Mill Valley Drive, admitted a single count of attempting to possess an indecent image of a child on July 31, 2016.

Noting the offence was almost five years old, Judge McColgan said the charge was brought following a conversation between Evans and a man in England who was under a police investigation at the time.

Judge McColgan said that whilst this conversation was “extremely disturbing” and “based upon fiction”, it was also “sexually explicit and graphic”.

She added that when Evans computer equipment was seized and examined as a result of this conversation, there were no indecent images of children found – hence why the charge was one of attempting to possess an indecent image as opposed to an actual possession charge.

Judge McColgan said she had taken into account defence submissions including the delay in bringing the case to court, Evans completely clear criminal record and the genuine remorse and regret he has displayed since the incident in July 2016.

The Judge said that whilst the custody threshold has been passed, she was prepared to suspend the sentence. She then addressed Evans and told him: “If you do not offend within the next two years, then that’s the end of that.

“If however you offend within the next two years, you will serve the 12 months that I’m now suspending for a period of two years. Do you understand that?”

Evans confirmed he did and said “thank you, Your Honour.”

April 2021

Newtownabbey man jailed for sharing indecent child images

A Co Antrim man who admitted distributing and sharing indecent images of children in a bid to lure others into a relationship with him was sentenced today.

Ryan McConnell – who was suspended from his post as a health trust support worker when his offending emerged – was ordered to surrender himself to custody next week to begin a 12-month prison sentence.

This will be followed by a 12-month period on licence, after he admitted 10 counts of possessing indecent images of children, and 10 counts of distributing and sharing indecent images of children between November 2013 and February 2018.

The 39-year old, from Mayfield Walk in Newtownabbey, appeared at Belfast Crown Court via video-link with his solicitor’s office.

He was sentenced by Judge Stephen Fowler QC, who said a jail term was warranted due to the distribution element, and the fact some of the children being abused in the images and videos were babies.

As well as being handed a two-year sentence, McConnell was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years and will be the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for seven years.

McConnell’s home was searched in February 2018 and a number of electrical items and storage devices were seized and examined, which were found to contain indecent images of children.

When McConnell’s WhatsApp was examined, it was clear he had been sharing these images with at least three people.

The Belfast Recorder was told by a Crown barrister “one of the aggravating factors is the very young age of the children involved.”

The barrister also said that whilst it was accepted McConnell did not share the images for financial gain, his motivation was to lure these people into a sexual relationship with him.

Judge Fowler said that after reading defence reports, McConnell suggested he was disgusted when he saw the images of children and denied having a sexual interest in youngsters.

The judge added: “Had he been as disgusted as he claimed he was, one would imagine he would not have shared these images with others.”

Noting McConnell had a clear criminal record, Judge Fowler said that his employment as a support worker for adults was suspended, and any further employment in the health and social work field would be “extremely unlikely.”

Branding the offending as “serious” and one where a jail term was “inevitable”, Judge Fowler imposed the two-year sentence and ordered McConnell to surrender himself to custody at Laganside Courts next Wednesday.

April 2021

Armagh jeweller Nigel O’Hara convicted of indecent assaults

A jeweller who once attracted a record number of complaints to Trading Standards has been convicted of indecently assaulting a child.

Nigel O’Hara was also found guilty of three counts of indecent assault against a woman at Newry Crown Court.

The 66-year-old committed the offences on dates between May 2001 and September 2002.

O’Hara, from Tandragee in Co Armagh, who is still free on bail, will be sentenced at the same court on May 28 following the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

He previously made headlines in 2018 when he was disqualified from being a company director for seven years following the collapse of his firm, JRN Retail Group.

Based in Portadown and operating under the name Nigel O’Hara, it had gone bust three years earlier leaving debts of almost £2 million.

The jewellery business, which also had a website advertising 91,000 products for sale, saw a huge number of complaints by customers who had not received items for which they had paid.

The Trading Standards Service (TSS) said “many consumers were very distressed, as they believed that they had been caught out by online scammers”.

Despite advice from the service the company continued to leave customers fuming, with TSS noting “complaints grew at such an alarming rate that between July and September 2014, the business Nigel O’Hara became the most complained about business to the Trading Standards Service”.

The business was found to have misled consumers about the price of goods, about the ability to supply goods, sales promotions and discount offered on goods and a 100% cash back competition prize, where no winners were selected.

For his role in the company Nigel O’Hara was barred from being a company director for seven years by the Department for the Economy after admitting to not keeping accounts for 12 months. Between February 2013 and June 2014, O’Hara was also a director of Irish League side Glenavon.

April 2021

Lurgan Paedophile who refused to take part in programme to stop him re-offending is jailed

A 74-year-old paedophile who has refused to engage with probation in a programme of work designed to reduce his re-offending has been jailed again today.

Patrick Dermot Doran turned down the one last chance offered by Craigavon Crown Court Judge Donna McColgan QC to undertake the Horizon Programme, even on a one to one basis.

Doran, originally from Lurgan, but who has been living in a probation approved address in Belfast, had complained of having to live in the city and of wanting to return to Co Armagh, as well as of having to take part in the programme with others.

Defence Counsel Joel Lindsay, who thanked Judge McColgan for the offer of the chance to re-engage, said this had always proved a problem with his client, jailed in 2017 for a multitude of historic indecent assaults on a male.

A probation officer in turn explained that last December the pensioner had said he was not prepared to engage in any organised programme of rehabilitation, even if it was specially set up to be carried out one to one, as opposed to group therapy sessions.

Initially Doran appeared to accept the offer from Judge McColgan, particularly after his lawyers agreed to help find him approved accommodation away from Belfast. However, on hearing the probation organised course would run for more than 20 weeks, Doran asked to be re-sentenced.

Judge McColgan told Doran she was prepared to give him one last chance to engage with probation as being the best way forward, but that his refusal had left her with no other choice.

Doran was ordered to be returned to jail for another 18 months.