A convicted child sex offender, who was again caught by paedophile hunters, says his actions were an “online fantasy that wouldn’t have been acted on”.
Michael Reardon, with an address in Bridge Street Kilkeel, was snared by a group Child Online Protection Enforcers NI earlier this month.
As a result of their sting, the 52-year-old was before Newry Magistrates’ Court this week accused of sexual communication with a child; attempting to possess an indecent photograph of a child; causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; arranging to meet a child for a sexual offence; and breach of a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).
Detective Constable Davidson, objecting to bail, outlined the background to the incident which occurred last Saturday (November 23).
At approximately 4.40pm police were called to the address following an ongoing incident involving the paedophile hunter group.
They spoke to the reporting person, and she told them that she had been acting as an online decoy, pretending to be a 14-year-old child and that the suspect had been in online communication with her.
She provided police with a hard copy document, a pen drive, containing digital evidence, and outlined a number of potential offences.
A mobile phone belonging to Reardon was also seized and he was arrested for the offences including breach of a previously imposed SOPO.
As a result of that Order, Reardon is prohibited from using any social media platforms, such as chat rooms, chat applications, and also chat applications that use the disappearing messages feature without prior knowledge and approval from his designated risk manager.
Det. Const. Davidson told the court that Reardon had allegedly contacted the decoy by an unapproved app and had disappearing messages on his WhatsApp.
He hadn’t registered the devices that he had possession of with police. None of the devices that were seized by the officers during the search had approval.
Reardon was interviewed and “I can tell the court that he made full admissions to the allegations,” said the officer, “including the breach of each condition of the sexual offences prevention order”.
She added: “The messages and statements were put to him and he confirmed that the messages had been sent and the conversation portrayed, and the decoys account, were accurate.
“He also admitted that he’d recently been engaging in sexual communication via the app Happn with two females who he believed to be 14-years-old and 15-years-old, and that he had last communicated with these girls the day before.”
The officer added: “It’s my respectful submission, that if he’s granted bail, he will commit further offences. He’s currently on probation until January 23, 2025. He is a registered sex offender being managed by the offender management unit, and he has a relevant record for child sexual offences.”
The officer relayed her concerns “that community tensions regarding the defendant are running high and there’s a potential risk of serious harm to the defendant should he return to the said address”.
“In addition, the defendant, while in custody, indicated that he had suicidal thoughts. The police do you have concerns for his own health and well being if he returns to the community.”
She further confirmed that there are 26 devices that have been seized that will need to be examined.
Reardon’s defence barrister said his client had “taken a pragmatic view in terms of the address, and he is aware that having been publicised at that stage by these paedophile hunters, he isn’t keen to return to that address”.
In requesting bail the barrister alluded to the length of time the investigation and examination of the devices will take and that his client “has made full admissions”.
He added: “There’s no suggestion of him physically, actually meeting somebody. He made the case during interview. This was effectively an online fantasy that wouldn’t have been acted on.”
District Judge Eamon King pointed to the defendant’s previous appearances in court.
“He’s not naive and has been through the process….that hasn’t stopped him reoffending.”
Bail was refused due to a risk of further offending.
