High Court, Belfast
Alan Erwin
Today at 14:14
A former bar manager branded a “dangerous individual with extreme paedophilic tendencies” amid claims he discussed abducting and sexually abusing children is to be released on bail, a High Court judge ruled today.
Robert John Parke, 33, is also accused of having more than 1,000 illegal files stored on devices seized from his home in Belfast.
The scale of his alleged offending was said to have left even some of the PSNI’s most seasoned detectives shocked.
Mr Justice McLaughlin stated: “The court is faced with a very dangerous individual with extreme paedophilic tendencies, whose presence in any community must send shivers down the spine of every parent and pose a danger to every child in his vicinity.”
Despite acknowledging the risks, he granted bail based on delays in the case and length of time the defendant has already been held in custody.
Parke, of Ardcarn Drive in the city, currently faces charges of possessing prohibited images of children, possessing and distributing indecent images of children, having extreme pornography and inciting another person to take an indecent image.
Police searched his home in February last year and confiscated a number of phones and computers, previous courts heard.
Examinations of the seized devices revealed around 1,100 files, the majority of them depicting the most serious forms of sexual activity with children.
Prosecutors claimed the phones contained conversations between Parke and others on the messaging app Telegram about grabbing, drugging and raping chidren.
In some discussions Parke asked for illegal pornography to be shared and used phrases such as “baby” and “the younger the better”, according to the police case.
Defence lawyers argued, however, that he should now be released amid hold-ups in completing the investigation.
The court also heard the incitement charge is unlikely to be maintained in its current form.
With Parke said to have made admissions to possession of the devices and some of the communications, Mr Justice McLaughlin acknowledged the potential dangers.
But he highlighted how the defendant has already served the equivalent of any sentence if ultimately convicted of having indecent images, while any trial could still be several months away.
“I am ultimately, despite all of my strong contrary instincts about the risks the applicant poses, persuaded we have reached the point where the change in circumstances is such that I really feel no option (but to grant bail),” the judge confirmed.
Imposing strict release conditions, he banned the accused from any internet access or unapproved contact with children.
Parke was also ordered not to go within 100 metres of any school, college or child’s play area.
by heresmewhaa
9 comments
Released on bail!? What the fuck!
How do these defence lawyers lie straight in their beds at night!?
I get thay everyone has a right to a fair trial but Jesus Wept!
Agree that this is insane and there is no world in which this guy should be on bail.
But the problem is that he’s been in custody since Feb 2024 – 19 months, equivalent of a 3 year and 2 month sentence – and the evidence isn’t even ready yet.
That’s probably due to this guy’s own wide-ranging and disgusting trove of horrendous shite. But reading between the lines, the police either don’t have the time or resources to go through all this.
A delay of 19 months between arrest and serving the evidence would not be tolerated in England in a million years.
This article would only be of any use if it also included a picture of the ‘very dangerous individual’ said to ‘pose a danger to every child in his vicinity’ if he is being released into the community.
How does the Judge say something like that and then go on to grant bail?
Fuck how long he was in custody, thats a 33 year old man capable of doing some fucking horrific work how has just been effectively blessed with a free pass.
What race is he though?
Thank God he’s not allowed within 100 metres of a school, college or child’s play area!
What a fuckin joke.
Naaa qlqajpqqqaalkqqqqkaqoauuolllaa aaaikaaaploPlaaaopaajqlllaqpkalpoqkqaaalkqlilI. Jkpkl
Where is the mob protecting the women and children?
Comments are closed.