Former soldier and dog handler appears in court charged with child pornography offences

In addition to 20 counts of making indecent images of children and two of distributing level A and B images, 61-year-old Andrew Maxwell was also charged with trying to engage in sexual communication with a young girl “for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification”.

In addition Maxwell, from Ashlea Place in Lisburn, also faces a single count of having a prohibited image of a child and 13 of having extreme pornography.

The particulars of the offences allege that Maxwell had images at levels A, B and C in addition to the extreme pornography and prohibited images.

On Thursday, a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a prima facie case against Maxwell which was conceded by the defence solicitor.

The court clerk told Maxwell that, although not obliged to, he had the right to comment on the charges and to call evidence to the court on his own behalf but he declined the opportunity.

Returning the case to Craigavon Crown Court for trial, District Judge Rosie Watters freed Maxwell on £500 bail and scheduled the arraignment to be heard on June 7.