An Armagh man who is accused of possessing indecent images of children will face Crown Court proceedings next month.
The 40-year-old appeared before Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry, on Tuesday for the purposes of a preliminary enquiry (PE), the legal process during which a case is referred to the higher court.
Steven Cummings, of Gaol Square, is charged with six counts of possessing an indecent photograph, possession of a prohibited image of a child and possession of an extreme pornographic image.
As the charges were read, court heard that the alleged offences dated back as far as 2011.
On May 31, of 2011, Cummings was accused of being in possession of an extreme pornographic image.
Then on October 16, of 2014, the defendant was alleged to have had three indecent photographs of a child in his possession.
On November 13 and 16, Cummings was accused of being in possession of two indecent photographs of a child and one prohibited image of a child.
He was further alleged to have been in possession of an indecent image of a child on July 4, 2015.
Appearing via videolink from his solicitor’s office, the defendant made no objection to the holding of a preliminary enquiry.
Prosecution submitted that based on the papers before the court there was a prima facie case to answer.
Defence counsel made no contrary submissions.
Deputy District Judge Brian Archer, satisfied there was a prima facie case to answer, released Cummings on his own bail of £500 to appear before Newry Crown Court on April 5 for arraignment.
Bail had a single condition that he is not to be in the company of anyone under the age of 18 years.
