Sex offender caught ‘peering into a home’

Prosecutors claimed Alan Wortley was discovered standing on an oil tank at the property in Portadown as the father checked on his wife and children.

Wortley (52), of Annagh Hill in the town, faces a charge of breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) following the incident last month.

He was granted bail on Wednesday but banned from entering the town.

The court heard that a SOPO in place until 2017 bans Wortley from unsupervised contact with anyone under 16.

Fiona O’Kane, prosecuting, said it was imposed after he was found guilty of a “sexually motivated” burglary in 2011.

“There’s a suggestion he was breaking into a neighbour’s house and stealing underwear,” she told the High Court.

Wortley was detained following the latest incident at around 4am on November 6.

“The allegation is... he was peering into the property while standing on an oil tank,” Mrs O’Kane said.

“The male occupant had just returned home to check on his wife and children and saw the applicant.”

It was also claimed that Wortley had “befriended” a family with four young children in the area over a period of months.

He allegedly gave money to one girl and play-wrestled with her brother.

Bail was granted, however, after it emerged that Wortley can stay with a relative in another part of Co Armagh.

Imposing a curfew, electronic monitoring and prohibition on going into Portadown, Lord Justice Weir told him: “If you break your bail conditions, unless a star appears in the East, you will be in custody until your case comes up.”