A convicted sex-offender previously jailed for raping a child breached a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by having a relationship with the mother of two female children whom he met through a ‘Swingers’ website.
Shane Adrian Patrick Neill (37) from Killyliss Road, Dungannon admitted engaging with multiple females on social media and commenced an intimate relationship without prior disclosure.
Both matters came to light on January 28 while Neill was on licence from his prison sentence, which he is now serving in full.
Dungannon Magistrates’ Court heard as a registered sex-offender Neill is managed by a specialist PSNI unit and during a routine unannounced visit he was asked if he had entered into any new relationships which he denied stating he “wasn’t interested in any sexual relationship”.
On police request he handed over his phone for examination which revealed he had downloaded the social media Telegram app and created an account named ‘Iron Swing’ with his photograph on the profile.
This contained multiple messages between him and a female which were highly sexualised and confirmed activity with each other.
There were images of them together which were posted in a group chat of other ‘Swingers’.
A defence barrister said Neill had informed the woman he entered the relationship of his previous convictions, however accepted he did not notify his Designated Risk Manager.
“They met through an adult website and there’s no issues whatsoever in terms of age as the relationship was consensual,” said the defence.
District Judge Francis Rafferty noted in the context of the charges Neill has served the equivalent time on remand and imposed a prison term of three months however, “that’s immaterial as his licence has been recalled”.
When first arrested a detective constable explained Neill was contacting females on the Telegram App since 31 December 2024 and “there are no limitations to boundaries as he was engaging with a number of different females for sexual gratification. He is currently on licence since March 2023 for a serious sexual offence but due to this recent offending his licence has been revoked, as he can no longer be managed in the community. He denied any knowledge of the woman’s two children during interview however police can evidence there were conversations about them on Telegram.”
Opposing bail she said: “The defendant is subject to stringent SOPO conditions with clear directions not to enter into any relationships unless his offending is disclosed and verified by the Designated Risk Manager. He was not to engage with any females on social media. Police have evidence of both breaches. This indicates blatant disregard for the SOPO and his attitude towards bail conditions.”
In terms of disclosure the detective informed the court: “When spoken to prior to arrest he was asked if he was engaging in relationships and he stated he was not. He also claimed he wasn’t engaging with anyone online. However after that meeting ended, he immediately contacted Probation Services and advised he had started a relationship which he felt needed to be disclosed. So by his own words this was a relationship.”
Refusing bail Judge Rafferty said: “This is a very serious matter. I’m not satisfied the defendant could be trusted on bail.”
