Man accused of underage sex chats to be quizzed on new evidence

In custody: Harold Burke POLICE intend to interview a Coleraine man accused of having sexually explicit online chats with children about a similar matter after receiving more information, a court heard on Monday.

Harold Burke (58), of Quilly Road, had a bail application refused at Coleraine Magistrates Court.

The defendant has been on remand in prison and was due to appear via video link but was unable to do so because of technical difficulties. The bail application proceeded in his absence.

A PSNI officer objected to bail and said that in July this year police were contacted by a group called Decoy Central, which he said was a “so-called paedophile hunting group” based in England.

The officer said the group alleged they had been in contact with Burke, who had online conversations with their members pretending to be 13-year-old girls.

The officer said the alleged conversations involving Burke were of a “very extreme sexual nature”. The policeman said officers arrested Burke and items seized included computers.

He said Burke made a “no comment” interview and showed “no sign of remorse” for his alleged actions and was subsequently charged and remanded in custody.

Burke is charged with two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and two of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

He is also accused of possessing 370 rounds of .22 ammunition in suspicious circumstances.

At Coleraine Court on Monday, the police officer said “more evidence” has now come to light from a group similar to Decoy Central, this time based in Dublin.

District Judge Liam McNally said the police now had new information and want to interview Burke and he refused the bail application.

The defendant was remanded in continuing custody until November 19.