Kilkeel man in court on child sex charge

A KILKEEL pensioner has appeared in court charged with attempted sexual communication with a child.

Court papers show Mervyn Hanna, who is from the town, but currently with an address given on the Hall Road, Donaghcloney, is accused of intentionally attempting to communicate with a child for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, which was intended to encourage the said child to make a sexual communication.

Offending is alleged to have occurred on 9 November last year.

While the circumstances of the alleged incident are not disclosed within the charge it is understood to have come about after police were alerted following a so-called paedophile hunter sting in Kilkeel, which was captured on a video, which went viral.

The communication is alleged to have been with a decoy profile of a 13-year-old girl.

Hanna appeared in Newry Magistrates' Court this morning (Wednesday) and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and that he understood the charge when it was put to him.

A prosecutor stated a full file in the matter should be ready for 6 May, with District Judge Peter Magill adjourning the matter until 15 May, when it will be next heard.