A man accused of possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornography, has been granted an interim order preventing publication of his identity after his lawyers stated he has threatened to self-harm if named.
Aged in his twenties, the defendant appeared before Dungannon Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing to transfer the case for trial.
He is charged with five counts of possessing indecent images of children and two of possessing extreme pornographic images on November 21, 2018.
He is further accused of encouraging or assisting a male to commit an offence by distributing an indecent image of a child on dates between February 27 and April 15, 2016.
A defence barrister said concerns have been raised around his client’s mental health amid his threat to self-harm if named in connection with the charges.
While a medical report had been obtained in respect of this, the defence advised an addendum was required as it did not address a number of specific points.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan agreed to impose an interim reporting ban.
The committal went ahead with a prosecuting lawyer stating there is a case to answer, which was agreed by Judge Ranaghan.
The accused did not object to the proceedings and declined to call witnesses or give evidence on his own behalf at this stage.
Judge Ranaghan remanded him on £500 bail to appear for arraignment at Dungannon Crown Court next month.
In respect of the reporting ban, Judge Ranaghan repeated this was on an interim basis and pending the medical report addendum, the matter will be revisited at Crown Court.
