TYRONE MAN ADMITS POSSESSING 5,000 INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN
A convicted sex offender from Aughnacloy has been refused bail after being charged with 12 breaches of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).The charges stem from an inspection of his phone during a meeting with his Designated Risk Manager (DRM), which revealed multiple unauthorised activities.
Hackett, who is currently serving a three-year Probation Order for previous offences, is accused of contacting a child without approval, possessing a non-approved mobile device, deleting messages, using a device cleaning application, employing a virtual private network (VPN) to conceal his identity, and possessing five internet-enabled devices along with two data storage units.
The alleged breaches occurred at his former residence in Aughnacloy, where he lived with elderly family members.
Police reports indicated that Hackett was in contact with children living nearby who would enter his garden to play, and that two young children known to him sometimes stayed overnight.
During a DRM meeting on July 10, Hackett denied any contact with children.
However, an examination of his phone revealed multiple social media apps, cleaning software, and a VPN—none of which were authorised under his SOPO.
Following his arrest, police searched his home and uncovered various devices, including portable hard drives, gaming consoles, a tablet, multiple SIM cards, routers, and two additional mobile phones.
Social Services confirmed that Hackett is not permitted to have unsupervised contact with children, and the mother of the children who had been staying at the property has been fully informed of the situation.
During questioning, Hackett admitted to breaching the SOPO, prompting authorities to change his conditions due to concerns over the risk of reoffending.
A detective constable explained to Dungannon Magistrates Court that Hackett’s prior conviction in 2023 for possessing indecent images of children resulted in a three-year Probation Order and a five-year SOPO.
The detective also noted that Hackett’s devices had been returned to him after his last conviction because nothing suspicious was initially found; however, during this visit, an Xbox and two hard drives were powered on and connected to the television, which was a breach of his restrictions.
The court heard that Hackett maintained he had no unsupervised contact with children and was never alone with them, asserting that he would go to his room and that children in the area would come and go when he smoked outside.
Social Services confirmed that Hackett is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with children, and the mother of the children staying at his former address is now fully aware of his restrictions.
The defence argued that Hackett’s household members were aware of his convictions, but the detective clarified that they were unaware of the severity of his record or the specifics of the SOPO, which had received extensive media coverage.
The defence also claimed that devices taken from Hackett’s previous home had been returned to him after his last conviction because nothing suspicious was found, though police noted that he was not authorised to use them.
During the search, an Xbox and two hard drives were found powered on and connected to the television.
District Judge Steven Keown, presiding over the case, expressed serious concerns about Hackett’s breaches and the effectiveness of his current management under the SOPO and Probation Order.
He stated, “I don’t share your confidence.
There are multiple serious breaches of the SOPO.
This individual has not been effectively managed by the SOPO and Probation Order.
I have no confidence that bail conditions would be sufficient either.” Hackett was refused bail and is scheduled to appear again via video link on July 29.
