Derry Court: 43-year-old man returned for trial on sex offences

A 43-year-old man has been returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on a series of sexual offences.

The man who cannot be named to protect the identity of some of his alleged victims appeared at a preliminary enquiry at Derry Magistrate's Court today.

He faces a total of 16 charges including two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity on May 7 2020 and June 19 2020.

He was also charged with 6 charges of sexual communication with children on dates between December 15 2019 and February 28 2021.

The man was also charged with 8 counts of engaging in sexual activity in front of a child on similar dates. 

It was accepted there was a case to answer and there were no contrary submissions. 

The man said he did not want to call any witnesses or make any statement at this stage. 

Defence counsel Stephen Mooney said that this was not a case that would trouble the court. 

He said the defendant was already serving a prison sentence for similar offences and these offences should have been included in the original sentencing exercise. 

The man was returned for trial to Derry Crown Court on June 29 and remanded in custody.