Belfast man jailed over ‘inappropriate’ contact with girl (11)

A 64-year old Belfast man who breached the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order by making contact with a “vulnerable” 11-year old girl is starting a six-month prison sentence.

William McWatters, from Eglantine Avenue, will spend an additional six months on supervised licence when he is released from custody after he pleaded guilty to four charges arising from a search of his home.

Telling Belfast Crown Court that McWatters made contact with the child “in a most inappropriate fashion”, Judge David McFarland said it amounted to a “clear flouting” of the terms of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) which was imposed for a separate offence.

Crown prosecutor Philip Henry said that on April 3rd, 2012, McWatters - who at the time was the subject of a SOPO - had his home searched by police.

Officers found an internet router and two mobile phones in the premises. Subsequent analysis of the mobile phones revealed McWatters was in possession of an indecent image of a child. A DVD was also found in the premises, which was later examined and found to contain two images of extreme pornography.

McWatters admitted a total of four charges - possessing the indecent image of a child, two counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image and also breaching the terms of his SOPO.

Regarding the breach, Mr Henry said the defendant made contact with a woman of a similar age via the internet lived in England in and around February and March 2012. It was during this time that the defendant came in to contact with the woman’s granddaughter, who was 11 at the time.

Telling Belfast Crown Court that McWatters “befriended” the youngster, Mr Henry said he got the girl’s mobile number and texted her as well as sending money to her on her birthday.

In one text, McWatters told the girl ‘I wish I was 50 years younger’ while in other messages he referred to her as ‘sexy’. He also uses ‘x’ and ‘o’ symbols for kisses and hugs.

McWatters has a criminal record for sex offences, which he did disclose to the girl’s grandmother but which he blamed on a bitter former partner.

Defence barrister Taylor Campbell said that while his client admitted all the offences, there was no direct contact made with the child in question.

Telling Judge McFarland that McWatters has not come to police attention in the almost three years since the search and arrest, the barrister said his client “accepts now that he shouldn’t have been sending texts” to the child.

Handing McWatters the 12-month sentence, Judge McFarland also ordered that McWatters become the order of another SOPO which will apply for a 10-year period.