'˜Paedophile hunter' fails to show for court damages appeal

Limavady man Joe McCloskey and Facebook are both challenging a verdict that they were jointly liable to the sex offender awarded £20,000 compensation.

His efforts to overturn the judgment against him have been surrounded by continued uncertainty over his legal aid status.

As the hearing got under way at the Court of Appeal a panel of three senior judges were informed that he was not in attendance.

Inviting Facebook’s lawyers to open their case, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: “If at any stage Mr McCloskey makes an appearance we can deal with that.”

Mr McCloskey was sued along with the social media giant over a page he operated to name and shame sex offenders in Northern Ireland.

In a landmark ruling last year the High Court held that the pay-out should be made to one of those who featured.

A judge found Mr McCloskey and Facebook liable for misusing private information.

The sex offender who brought the privacy action, identified only as CG, was released from jail in 2012 after serving a sentence for gross indecency and indecent assault offences against a young girl and a teenage boy.

Now aged in his forties, he remains under supervision by the authorities and has been assessed as posing no significant risk to the public.

He claimed harassment, violation of his right to privacy and breaches of the Data Protection Act against Facebook and Mr McCloskey after his photograph and details appeared on the page ‘Keeping Our Kids Safe From Predators 2’.

Ruling in favour of CG’s right to privacy, the High Court awarded damages in the total sum of £20,000, with Mr McCloskey liable for £15,000 of that amount.

Since the verdict two of CG’s victims have issued writs against him.

An injunction was also secured to stop any payout to the sex offender until that litigation is dealt with.

The appeal continues.