It Transpired

Published on the 08 August

Sex offender rumour rubbished by police

"Reports of a sex offender taking pictures of children in a Whiteabbey play park have been rubbished by a local councillor and police.

On Sunday reports surfaced on social networks on the internet of a potential sex offender in the Fernagh and King’s Park area and that he had been seen taking pictures.

However, the rumours have been rubbished by both police and a local councillor.

Councillor Thomas Hogg, who represents the area, called for calm, saying: “The posts appeared on the page of the British National Party (Northern Ireland) and alleged that a man had been arrested by police on Sunday (August 4) for taking photographs of a child at King’s Park playground.

“A number of local parents contacted me to query the accuracy of these claims.

“I immediately contacted the PSNI and spoke with local neighbourhood officers as well as officers from the Public Protection Unit in Antrim regarding this incident.

“It was confirmed that PSNI officers had responded to a report of a man acting suspiciously and taking photographs of a child at King’s Park playground.

“Upon investigation it transpired that the man was known to the child and their parent."

http://www.newtownabbeytoday.co.uk/news/local-news/sex-offender-rumour-rubbished-by-police-1-5363111