A reporter is set to challenge a restriction protecting an alleged paedophile after her investigation cast doubt on the reason for the court imposing the order in the first place.

HTFP reported in February how Tanya Fowles had been barred from naming an alleged child sex abuser after a police officer claimed in court the accused could be at risk from so-called “paedophile hunters”.

But an investigation by Tanya, who reports on courts across Northern Ireland and also serves as a BBC local democracy reporter in the region, has now called the officer’s testimony into question.

A judge at Armagh Magistrates Court initially ruled a Reporting Restriction Order must remain in place, despite a challenge by Tanya, after the officer claimed there had been “incidents recently where paedophile hunters have gone to houses and attacked individuals”.

Armagh Magistrates Court

The decision prompted Tanya to submit a Freedom of Information request, which has now revealed there was just one single report of an assault at an incident involving a paedophile hunter group in the entire County Armagh area during 2019-20, contrary to the officer’s evidence.

No prosecutions were forthcoming as a result of the incident.

Tanya told HTFP: “On the basis of the officer’s sworn evidence, the judge agreed to grant a reporting ban even though no direct confirmation of the necessary threshold of real and imminent risk was provided, other than generic assumption.

“The handling of the case provoked a stern response from several paedophile hunter groups who refuted any suggestion of violence, attack or assault.

“They insisted their practice is to gather evidence and while they do confront targets, this is always in the presence of police, whom they notify in advance and pass all information gathered.”

Tanya confirmed she is now planning to challenge the order again based on the results of her investigation.

She has also asked the Police Service of Northern Ireland if officers receive training on how to provide evidence in support of a Reporting Restriction Order for defendants in court.

A spokesperson said in response: “As part of our detective foundation course delivered at the Police College, our detectives are trained to be aware of when Reporting Restriction Orders are applied in court, for example, in sexual offences cases.

“However, detectives in receipt of this training are not specifically trained to provide evidence in support of a Reporting Restriction Order for defendants in court.”