Former DUP member ordered to sign Sex Offenders Register after indecent exposure

By M&M News Services

A former member of the DUP was today (Monday) ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register after he admitted indecently exposing himself to three women.

William Ball appeared at Belfast Crown Court via a videolink with his solicitor's office, where he admitted five separate charges of indecent exposure on dates between April 1977 and June 1991.

Whilst the 67-year old entered 'guilty' pleas to 'committing an act of a lewd, obscene and disgusting nature by exposing your person' to three separate woman, he also denied a further three similar charges.

As well as denying three additional indecent exposure charges against two women, ex-DUP councillor Bell - whose address cannot be reported at present - also entered 'not guilty' pleas to four counts of indecent assault on a female.

Bell was charged with, and denied, indecently assaulting two of the same women. He denied two charges of indecently assaulting one woman between April 1978 and April 1979, whilst he entered 'not guilty' pleas when charged with indecently assaulting a second woman on two occasions between June 1990 and June 1991.

During the remote hearing, Ball spoke to confirm he could see and hear the court, and again when he was asked to enter pleas to the 12 charges.

Crown barrister Kate McKay confirmed that a trial will be held in April 2021 on the charges denied by Ball - namely three counts of indecent exposure and four counts of indecent assault.

Mr Dillon revealed that "when these matters came to light" against Ball earlier this year, his client "was intimidated out of his home in Newtownabbey" and is now living in Belfast.

Judge Donna McColgan QC told Mr Dillon that as Ball had pleaded guilty to five offences, he will now have to sign the Sex Offenders Register "within the next two to three days."