A 58-year-old man from Ballygawley must sign the Sex Offenders Register after admitting he attempted to communicate with someone he believed was a child for sexual gratification.

Ian Stanley Boyd, of Lisbeg Road, entered a guilty plea at Dungannon Crown Court to one offence covering a period between February 9 and February 25, 2024. The person he communicated with was in fact a decoy.

Boyd denied three further charges: two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempted encouragement to distribute an indecent image.

His defence barrister told Judge Brian Sherrard that the admitted charge largely encompassed the case, but that discussions with the Public Prosecution Service were needed regarding the remaining counts.

Judge Sherrard gave the prosecution and defence time to negotiate and adjourned proceedings. He also ordered Boyd to sign the Sex Offenders Register as a consequence of the guilty plea.

Boyd was released on continuing bail set at £200. He must remain at his home address and is forbidden from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 without prior approval from Social Services.

The case is due back before the court on September 3.