Man allegedly encouraged others to sexually abuse children and send him recordings

A Belfast man allegedly encouraged others to sexually abuse children and send him recordings, the High Court has heard.

Prosecutors claimed Robert John Parke had more than 1,000 images of molestation stored on devices seized from his home.

The scale of the suspected depravity shocked even the most seasoned detectives, a judge was told.

Details emerged as 33-year-old Parke, of Ardcarn Drive in the city, was refused bail.

He 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 initially searched his home in February last year and confiscated a number of devices.

Examinations of the equipment revealed nearly 1,100 illegal files, many of which were said to feature children, it was claimed.

Prosecution counsel argued investigations established that Parke had been messaging a co-accused who was arrested on suspicion of sexual activity with a minor.

“Police believe he was actively seeking images and videos of an indecent nature, but also inciting others to create first-generation material and then distribute it to him,” the barrister said.

A dozen empty boxes for smart phones were also found at his house, fuelling beliefs that a “huge” number of devices were used for the alleged offending.

The court heard that a four-year-old child in one of the images has now been identified.

Examinations have yet to be carried out in other phones and an Xbox games console seized during further searches in January.

Opposing bail, the prosecutor contended that Parke poses an unmanageable risk.

“Police cannot stress enough the severity of these offences, which were shocking even to seasoned detectives,” he added.

A defence lawyer told the court Parke is adamant nothing illegal will be found on the newly seized devices.

“This man is not alleged to have committed any (in person) contact sexual offences,” he submitted.

Bail was denied, however, based on the need to help ensure child protection.

Highlighting the incitement charge against Parke, Mr Justice Scoffield stated: “To say the applicant was actually encouraging others in the real world to abuse children, and then make images available, is extremely concerning.”