Co Down man (45) charged with 16 child sex offences set for trial

Timothy Bates was charged with a total of 16 offences claimed to have been committed between June 2016 and August 2017.

They include engaging in sexual communication with three different children under 16, inciting and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to incite another person to engage in sexual activity with a child.

The 45-year-old is also accused of attempting to incite the distribution of indecent images of children and distributing and possessing indecent images.

Bates, from Mercer Street in Lisburn, appeared in court in the city on Thursday.

The particulars of the offences accuse him of trying to incite the alleged victims to involve themselves in sexual communications with him – while another alleges that he “requested another person engage in sexual activity with a child’’ and provide him images.

Freed on £500 bail, the judge returned the case to Craigavon Crown Court for trial with the next hearing due to take place next month.