A thirty-five-year-old County Tyrone man currently charged with sexual offences including rape has been remanded in custody after breaching bail conditions.
William Hogg (35) whose address is subject to a reporting restriction following alleged paramilitary threats, is accused of two counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault.
Offending is alleged to have occurred on dates between July 25 and October 31 2025.
He first appeared before Dungannon Magistrates court earlier this month where a detective constable confirmed the charges could be connected.
No details surrounding the circumstances of the alleged offending were disclosed during the brief hearing at which Hogg spoke only to confirm his identity and that he understood the charges.
He was remanded on strict bail with conditions including no contact with anyone aged under 18 without prior approval.
However, he was arrested over the weekend after a teenage relative (not the alleged victim) informed police he had been at her home and prior to that was messaging her, which she didn’t realise he was forbidden from doing.
The detective explained the report was received on October 24 the day after the girl received a phone call from Hogg via Snapchat in which he stated: “He couldn’t go to prison and he had done nothing wrong. He also said he had been receiving threats.”
There was other contact through Snapchat messages contending the only reason he was still alive was because of her (teenager) and that he hated another individual and “wants her to die” for going to police.
These messages were not available for police to view given how Snapchat operates however the teenager has provided a statement.
She also said Hogg came to the home of a mutual relative while she was there and spoken to her.
It was the following day she realised this was in breach of bail.
Objecting to bail the detective said Hogg had, “Knowingly contacted this child on Snapchat fully aware this breached conditions. There was also a previous suspected breach several days beforehand involving a different child however she refused to engage with police and there has been no statement to that effect.”
He continued, “Police are concerned at the number of times he contacted this girl despite only being charged and remanded on bail for a short time. We don’t feel the risk can be managed given the ease at which he has been able to contact children.”
A defence barrister confirmed the breach was accepted and pointed out Hogg has a clear record and having never been before the courts before is “very new” the issue of bail.
“He wasn’t aware the condition of no contact extended to electronic communication and when he was at the girl’s home there was another adult present, which he believed assuage concerns as a supervisor,” said the defence.
Conceding the charges are very serious, the defence urged bail to be granted and suggested a ban on the use of internet and communication devices would address the court’s concerns around risk.
He added, “The charges are vehemently denied and a witness has indicated that these allegations are false and she is to speak with police on this imminently.
However District Judge Alana McSorley refused stating, “It’s not only the contact with underage children but the content and nature of it that concerns me.”
Hogg will appear again by video-link on November 17.
