JOEL HEAK FROM TANDRAGEE SHOCKS COUNTY ARMAGH WITH CHILD SEX OFFENCE REVELATION

In December 2021, a significant legal development occurred involving Joel Heak, a 20-year-old man from Cargans Road in Tandragee, County Armagh. The case drew considerable attention after a court lifted a previously imposed reporting restriction that had kept his identity confidential. This restriction was initially granted to protect Heak from potential harm, citing concerns raised by the police and legal authorities about his safety if publicly identified.

Heak was accused of a disturbing sexual offence involving a young child, aged between three and five years old. The details of the case revealed that Heak had taken the child's hand and placed it on his exposed genitals, an act that he later admitted to during court proceedings. It was also disclosed that Heak had a prior conviction for a similar offence, for which he had received a suspended prison sentence, raising questions about his pattern of behavior.

When Heak first appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, a reporting ban was put into place, preventing any publication of his name or details that could lead to his identification. The justification for this restriction was based on an application supported by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), and the defense team. The authorities argued that revealing Heak’s identity could pose a risk to his safety, as he feared retaliation or attack from members of the community.

However, further inquiries into the matter revealed inconsistencies. The PPS clarified that they had not requested a reporting ban, and their concerns were primarily centered around protecting the victim’s identity. The PSNI, however, refused to comment on the matter. As the case progressed, the press challenged the restrictions, leading to a subsequent court hearing where the defense argued that the risk to Heak was evidenced by a police officer familiar with the local area. The officer initially suggested that the victim could be identified due to the small, rural community, and mentioned incidents involving paedophile hunters targeting individuals in the area, which he claimed had led to assaults and community unrest.

Despite the officer’s testimony, there was evident confusion, as he alternated between discussing the victim’s potential identification and the threat posed to Heak from vigilante groups. The judge, Judge Paul Ramsay QC, reminded the court that the core issue was Heak’s identification. Ultimately, the judge granted the reporting restriction, citing the perceived risk of harm based on the police officer’s testimony.

Subsequently, a Freedom of Information request revealed that police had attended only seven incidents across County Armagh during 2019 and 2020, resulting in just one report of assault and no prosecutions. This data cast doubt on the police officer’s claims of ongoing threats from vigilante groups, suggesting that the evidence used to justify the reporting ban was not substantiated by actual police activity.

In the legal proceedings at Newry Crown Court, Heak initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty. He admitted to the act of placing the child's hand on his exposed genitals, which the victim described as a “gross” incident, prompting police intervention. During police interviews, Heak responded with ‘no comment’ to all questions. The court was informed that Heak had a prior conviction for a similar offence, for which he had received a suspended sentence. The prosecution highlighted that no reporting restriction had been sought or granted in that previous case, a point acknowledged by Judge Ramsay.

The court also heard from the police officer who provided evidence about the threat from vigilante groups, but he did not dispute the press’s analysis that the police activity in the area was minimal and did not justify the restrictions. After considering all evidence, Judge Ramsay decided to lift the reporting ban, allowing Heak’s identity to be publicly disclosed.

In addition to the criminal conviction, a Probation Officer assessed Heak as having a medium likelihood of reoffending but not as being dangerous. The court noted that Heak was a juvenile at the time of the offence and had engaged positively with the NSPCC, expressing remorse and shame for his actions. The judge emphasized the severity of the offence, especially considering the extreme vulnerability of the young victim, and sentenced Heak to a two-year Probation Order along with a seven-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order. Furthermore, Heak will remain on the Sex Offender Register for five years, underscoring the seriousness of his misconduct and the ongoing risk to the community.