Pensioner faces indecent images of children charges

71-year-old Paul Hackney faces 16 charges of possessing and making indecent images between May 25 and June 6 last year.

Hackney, from Gobbins Road, was present at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday for a preliminary enquiry.

District Judge Des Perry sent the case to Antrim Crown Court for arraignment on October 27 and said that due to the nature of the charges he was satisfied it warranted senior counsel.

The judge released the accused on the same bail terms of £500 which were put in place at the same court in August.

As part of the bail conditions outlined in August Hackney was ordered to have no unsupervised contact with any child under the age of 18, unless approved by Social Services, and not to own or have access to any device capable of internet connection.