Man charged with making and possessing indecent photographs of children bailed

By Nevin Farrell

A county Londonderry man facing twenty charges of making and possessing indecent photographs of children has had his case sent to Antrim Crown Court.

Craig Serplus (60), of Clagan Park, Aghadowey, was wearing a grey suit, striped shirt and a tie in the dock at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Monday.

During a Preliminary Enquiry - the legal step to send a case to higher court - he stood with his hands behind his back as District Judge Liam McNally said as there were quite a number of charges the court clerk could put them to the accused in a shortened form.

Serplus confirmed his name and said he received documents in connection with the case.

The clerk said the accused was charged with possessing indecent photographs of children, along with 19 other similar charges.

Eleven of the charges involve making indecent photographs or pseudo photographs and the other nine charges involve possessing indecent photographs.

Serplus confirmed he had no objection to the holding of a Preliminary Enquiry and a prosecution lawyer said on the basis of the papers there was a case to answer.

A defence lawyer had no contrary submissions and Judge McNally said he held there was sufficient evidence on the basis of the papers before him to return the accused for trial.

Serplus was asked by the court clerk if he wished to say anything in relation to the charges and he replied: "No".

The prosecutor said Serplus could be released on continuing bail to appear at Antrim Crown Court in September.