MAN (24) ACCUSED OF PAYING MUM FOR SEX ABUSE IMAGES OF DAUGHTER HAS BAIL REFUSED
Joel Simpson, from Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, is said to have paid the mum for footage of her daughter being abused by a third party.The 24-year-old was refused bail for the second time this year at the High Court in Belfast last week.
During his failed bid for release it was also revealed there may be more alleged victims of Simpson than police first thought.
Prosecutors said the PSNI had received a report from Humberside Police in England earlier this year about a female in the area who had shared images of her daughter with the defendant in exchange for money.
Simpson was later arrested on suspicion of a range of child indecency offences, with images of children allegedly being found on his phone once it was seized.
Cops also say they found evidence of children he was communicating with online via social media.
Opposing bail, a detective sergeant told the court: “There’s a number of extensive enquires ongoing in this case, mainly around examination of devices seized as part of the investigation.
It is probably going to take a bit more time as we are uncovering further lines of enquiry relating to more potential victims.
This is quite a concerning case.
There are risks of further offending as his home address is in close proximity to two primary schools and a children’s playpark.
He had also factory reset some of his devices before they were seized.
The defendant’s case has been publicised on social media so there is a risk of ramifications for him too, his family have expressed concerns about paramilitaries.” The court heard the defendant had hoped to be bailed to a family address in England but defence counsel said there was no suitable address which could be proffered at the time.
Simpson, of Minorca Drive, Carrickfergus, is charged with making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children as well as facilitating the commission of an offence by paying a third party to abuse a child and provide footage of it.
Bail was refused and the defendant remanded into custody with his case back before the courts later this month.
