OAP on abuse charges will return to England

A PENSIONER facing historic sex abuse charges has been granted bail to return to Englandafteritemergedhespentan “unnecessary” month in Maghaberry.

Jonathan Martin Murray-Lacey is set to stand trial in Belfast Crown Court later this year on allegations of sexual abuse in Northern Ireland in the early to mid-80s.

The 65-year-old, whose address was given as Clanfield Way in London, is currently the subject of a Mental Health Order in England and lives in a residential care home supporting people with mental health issues.

Murray-Lacey was ordered to travel from England to Belfast last month as a date was set for his trial. On this occasion, his travel costs were covered by the care home.

However, when the trial didn’t go ahead Lacey was remanded into custody and remained in Maghaberry for over a month.

Murray-Lacey’s legal team launched a bail application yesterday which was granted by Judge Patricia Smyth, who warned she would take a “very dim view” if he failed to return to Northern Ireland for his trial, which is expected to start in May.

He is due to be released from Maghaberry this week, will be collected by the PSNI and taken to Belfast docks, where he will board the Liverpool ferry. He will then be collected by a member of staff from the care home and returned to his accommodation.

Prior to granting the application, Judge Smyth was told by Crown prosecutor Kate McKay that while funds were in place to enable Murray-Lacey to travel when his trial was listed last month, there were currently “no means of getting him back to England.”

Ms McKay said that while “potentially” Murray-Lacey could be released from Maghaberry and make his way on his own to the Liverpool ferry, this was not ideal.

The prosecutor told the court: “The difficulties police have is they are concerned he will not come back for his trial in May.”

Shealsorevealedthatthecare home “cannot fund leaving him back over, like they did the last time, and that’s where we are at the minute. It’s a bit of a dilemma.”

Accepting the current issue arose because Murray-Lacey’s trial didn’t go ahead when it was scheduled to, she spoke of concerns of a risk of flight, as a bench warrant was issued in the past. Murray-Lacey’s barrister Kelly Doherty said that the month her client had spent in Maghaberry was “unnecessary”, adding his time in custody was not due to him presenting a risk.

Explaining Murray-Lacey has Bi-polar Affective Disorder and is the subject of a Community Treatment Order under the English Mental Health Act, Ms Doherty said that if he doesn’t go back to the care home, he “will be returned to hospital”.

Telling the court “we need to find a way to get this man back”, JudgeSmythgrantedbailandordered that the police liaise with Murray-Lacey’s solicitor before his release from prison.

He will then be collected from Maghaberry, and taken to the docks. When the ferry arrives in Liverpool, Murray-Lacey will then be met by an employee from the care home.

Judge Smyth also ordered that Murray-Lacey return to Maghaberry four days prior to his trial, and he will remain in custody for the duration of the case.