Man (65) charged with making and possessing indecent images of children remanded in Derry

Carey Lyons (65) of Richmond Avenue in Derry appeared charged with possessing, making and distributing indecent images of children on March 18 this year.

He was also charged with breaching his SOPO on dates between March 18 and November 9 by having Internet enabled devices.

A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail.

She told the court that information was received about the downloading of images and the defendant, a registered sex offender, was identified.

When police attended his address Lyons was said to have told them he was 'downloading but not sending it'.

An array of Internet enabled devices including laptops, cameras and the like we're seized and have to be triaged.

The court heard that the images, of which there was believed to be up to 1,000, were of male and females between 8-years-old and 14-years-old.

The images were described as both soft and hardcore.

The police officer opposed bail stating the defendant had 'blatantly disregarded' the conditions of his SOPO by having the images.

Defence counsel Andrew Brownlee said his client had been co-operative with police.

He said he had handed over his devices when asked, although the police officer said that a SIM card had been found during the search.

The barrister said that his client could be managed with strict conditions.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this was 'a fundamental breach' of a court order prohibiting Lyons from possessing these devices.

He described the offences as involving 'foul images' and said that at least if Lyons was in prison he could not engage in such 'appalling behaviour'.

He refused bail and remanded Lyons in custody until December 7.