A Portadown paedophile has been handed a five month prison sentence for breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).
However, Kevin Christy, of Park Road, will walk free from court having served the time on remand, due to failure to secure a bail address while legal proceedings were ongoing.
Craigavon Magistrates’ Court was told on Friday that police are concerned for the 41-year-old’s safety, due to daily protests outside his mother’s house by vigilante groups.
Christy appeared before the court via videolink from Maghaberry, having entered a guilty plea to one charge of breaching a SOPO.
Outlining the facts of the case, the prosecution said that Christy is a registered sex offender, who was released from prison on October 25, 2024, following conviction for attempted sexual communication with a child.
Christy received a three-year probation order and a five-year SOPO, which stipulated that he could not reside overnight at any address without the prior approval of his designated risk manager.
Upon his release from prison, he resided at his mother’s address in Portadown, which was not approved by the risk manager, and is located near the People’s Park.
Police and probation attended the address on October 30, and had been liaising unsuccessfully with the Housing Executive to assist him.
Christy was arrested on October 31 for breach of the SOPO.
The prosecution explained that since Christy was released, there had been protests outside his address by “vigilante groups under the guise of protecting children” and, “It cannot be ruled out that he will come under some form of attack should he continue to reside at this address”.
They added that police are “extremely concerned” for Christy’s safety as there had been daily protests outside the address and an “active social media campaign to have him evicted from this area”.
Christy’s defence barrister, Conor Lunny, said that Christy had spent four nights at his mother’s house, but was advised by the risk manager that he was in breach of the SOPO, adding that Christy attempted to contact the Housing Executive when warned by police.
He added through the course of the case, Christy had obtained bail but could not be released due to failure to find a suitable address, and that efforts had been ongoing to secure one.
He also revealed that Christy had the promise of an address, but the landlord “pulled out when he realised what the context of the offending was”.
Speaking on Christy’s personal circumstances, Mr Lunny said that he is a man of “very limited physical capability”, questioning the possibility of him being able to walk from his house to the People’s Park.
He added that Christy had spent the entirety of his life “quite isolated” and that, “he has no real friends, his mother lives nearby and that’s his life… He allowed himself to be tempted by these online chatrooms”.
Mr Lunny said the incident was “completely regrettable” and that the guilty plea was entered with reluctance due to the nature of the breach.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said that Christy had served the equivalent of a five month sentence and was entitled to credit for his plea of guilty.
He imposed a prison term of four months, which meant that Christy had served his time, but added that the conditions of the SOPO remained until October 2029.
