CARL LONG SENTENCED IN BELFAST AND NEWTOWNABBEY FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN

A man named Carl Long, aged 34 and residing in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, has been formally sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on Friday, 14th March, following a series of serious sexual offences committed in 2022. The court heard that Long was responsible for multiple criminal acts involving minors, including engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child aged between 13 and 16 to participate in sexual activities, and committing four separate offences of sexual activity with a minor within that age range.

In addition to these charges, Long was found guilty of two offences related to meeting a child following sexual grooming, as well as encouraging or assisting in the distribution of indecent pseudo-photographs of children. These offences highlight a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that spanned over a period of time, causing significant concern among law enforcement and the community.

The court sentenced Carl Long to a total of 22 months in prison. Of this sentence, six months will be served behind bars, with the remaining period to be served on licence, allowing him to be released under strict conditions. Furthermore, Long has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade, a measure that ensures ongoing monitoring of his activities. During the next five years, he will also be subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), which will impose restrictions and oversight by police authorities to prevent any further offending.

In addition to the custodial sentence and registration requirements, Long received a disqualification order and a barring order, effectively prohibiting him from engaging in certain activities or contact that could pose a risk to children. These legal measures aim to protect the community and prevent any future harm.

Detective Inspector Kelly expressed her thoughts on the case, stating, “Our thoughts are with the two victims today, who were only children when these offences were committed. We commend the bravery they have shown in coming forward and reporting these offences to their mothers and their courage to trust both Police and Social Services to see the court process to its conclusion today. This is in stark contrast to Mr. Long and his despicable, predatory actions.”

She further emphasized the importance of community cooperation, saying, “We hope the bravery shown by these victims to bring this man to justice will encourage others who have experienced any form of sexual abuse to come forward to Police. These investigations have been long and difficult, and we thank the young girls involved and their families for working with Police to bring this abuser to justice.”