A court case against a former regional journalist charged over alleged child sex abuse will be moved to Crown Court.

Michael McMonagle, who spent 10 years with the Derry Journal, is charged with attempting to sexually communicate with a child under the age of 16 years for the purposes of his sexual gratification.

He is further charged with attempting to cause a child under the age of 16 years to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity, and with attempting to incite a child under the age of 16 years to engage in sexual activity.

The 42-year-old, from Derry, denies committing the three alleged offences on dates between May 2020 and August 2021.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, a solicitor for the Public Prosecution Service told District Judge Barney McElholm at Derry Magistrates Court, pictured: “A decision has been made to go on indictment.

“A full file was received on 1 December. My application is to adjourn the case until 4 January to fix a date for a preliminary enquiry.”

The judge granted the adjournment application at Thursday’s hearing, which was agreed by a defence solicitor.

McMonagle left the Journal in 2014 and later worked as a press officer for Sinn Fein and a communications and engagement manager for the British Heart Foundation.