MARK HARBINSON FROM STONEYFORD ESCAPES JAIL AFTER BREACHING COURT ORDER IN CO ANTRIM

In a recent development that has drawn significant attention, Mark Harbinson, a well-known loyalist and convicted sex offender from Stoneyford, has narrowly avoided incarceration after breaching a court-imposed Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).

Harbinson, aged 47 and residing on Sheepwalk Road in Ballynadolly, Co Antrim, was handed a three-month suspended sentence at Craigavon Crown Court, which is situated in Belfast. The court's decision came just three weeks after Harbinson's release from prison, where he had served time for serious sexual offenses involving a minor.

The court proceedings revealed that Harbinson had been convicted in May 2013 of sexually molesting a 13-year-old girl and possessing indecent photographs of a child. As part of his sentence, he was subject to a SOPO that explicitly prohibited him from participating in activities related to the Pride of the Village Flute Band, of which he was a member. Despite this restriction, Harbinson was found to have violated the order shortly after his release.

Evidence presented in court indicated that in the same month he was released, Harbinson had contacted the Parades Commission via email to express his dissatisfaction with marching restrictions imposed on his band. The judge explicitly warned Harbinson that any future breach of his SOPO would result in a three-month prison sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of his violations.

Harbinson's criminal history is extensive and includes a high-profile case from December 2012, when he abandoned an appeal against his conviction for sexual offenses. At that time, he was serving a three-and-a-half-year sentence for molesting a 13-year-old girl and possessing topless photographs of her on his mobile phone. Despite his claims of innocence, the court upheld his conviction, citing compelling evidence against him.

His conviction was based on months of grooming the victim, with over 1,700 text messages exchanged between them. Harbinson, a prominent figure during the Drumcree marching protests, was found guilty of multiple charges, including sexual abuse and possession of indecent images. He was also acquitted of some charges, such as indecent assault on a 12-year-old boy, and the jury failed to reach verdicts on others involving different minors.

In May 2011, Harbinson was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl in an Orange hall in Stoneyford. The court heard that he had begun grooming the girl in March 2009, and during their affair, he expressed a desire for her to wait until she turned 16. Harbinson's actions included begging for kisses and sharing explicit images, which led to his arrest three days after topless photos of the girl were discovered on his phone.

Following his sentencing, Harbinson was expelled from the Orange Order, a prominent Loyalist organization, and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life. He was also prohibited from working with children or possessing electronic devices capable of storing images. Despite his convictions, Harbinson maintained his innocence during the trial and subsequent appeals, but the courts upheld the evidence against him.

Harbinson's background includes a notable role during the 2000 Drumcree stand-off, where he famously declared it “Ulster’s Alamo” and called for increased support for Loyalist protests. His actions and convictions have made him a controversial figure within Loyalist circles and the wider community in Co Antrim and beyond.