Judge explains his reasoning for not jailing Portadown man caught by ‘decoy’ group
Plus, Two Lurgan men guilty of ‘brutal assassination’ of Malcolm McKeown in Waringstown
A Portadown man caught in a 'decoy' case has been sentenced for attempting to have a 'sexual communication' with a person pretending to be a 14-year-old child.
Lee Sheffield, with an address listed as Tandragee Road, committed the offence between October 29 and November 7 in 2023, a
The 46-year-old, who had a previously clear record, pleaded guilty and was at Craigavon Magistrates' Court on Friday for sentencing.
A prosecutor said the defendant contacted a "Facebook profile" set up by a decoy group and Sheffield made sexually explicit comments.
In mid-November 2023 'Children & Survivors Online Child Protection Team NI' attended the defendant's home address and police were called and attended shortly afterwards. The group supplied details of the case to the police.
When interviewed the defendant claimed to police he had been drunk. His phone was examined and communications were found.
A defence barrister said there was no "direct victim" and added: "This is one of these agent provocateur cases involving decoys. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this the concern I would have is some of the behaviour and conduct of the groups at large is quite alarming from a public interest point of view".
Two Lurgan men guilty of ‘brutal assassination’ of Malcolm McKeown in Waringstown
Two men were today (Friday) found guilty of the “carefully planned and brutal assassination” of convicted criminal Malcolm McKeown almost six years ago.
Jake O’Brien (30) and Andrew Thomas Kenneth Martin (29) were also found guilty of possession of two guns used to murder the 54-year-old at close range.
Two other defendants, Stevie Lee Watson (36), from Princeton Avenue in Lurgan, and 36-year old Simon Smyth from Hazelgrove Avenue in Lurgan, were both acquitted of the murder and possessing the guns with intent to endanger life.
Plus…
👩⚕️ Daisy Hill midwife who told pregnant shop assistant not to wear face mask struck off
💔 Highly-respected Portadown supermarket mogul will be remembered as a ‘true gentleman’