A convicted sex-offender detained following a paedophile hunter sting in Co Tyrone has pleaded guilty to child sexual communication offences.
Jonathan Dowds (43) from Shandon Park, Omagh attempted to sexually communicate with a child he thought was a 13-year-old girl and attempted to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Offending occurred between March 31 and April 8 this year.
Dowds appeared at Dungannon Crown Court pleading guilty to both charges.
Judge Brian Sherrard adjourned sentencing until February 5.
When the case first reached court a police officer explained a report was received from a group called Children Survivors Online Protection Team who had confronted Dowds and held evidence he had been “attempting to groom a 13-year-old child in England”.
A team member handed officers a large amount of documentation containing photographs and messages allegedly exchanged between Dowds and a decoy.
He was arrested and when shown the messages during interview, admitted sending them all.
Dowds accepted initiating contact in an online chat forum “not realising it was a trap”.
The conversation then moved to another forum and he admitted, believing he was talking with a 13-year-old girl and accepted the messages he sent were of a sexual nature.
He told police his intention was “to educate this young girl to be ready for adulthood but understood this was not acceptable”.
A defence barrister accepted the charges are very serious in nature against a previous record.
“It appears clear this offending has re-emerged. However, this was non-contact offending and it’s not suggested the defendant in any way attempted to secure a meeting,” they said.
Dowds was later granted bail with conditions including no contact with any child unless approved by Social Services and residence at an address agreed with police.
It has since been confirmed, however, that he remained in custody.