belfasttelegraph

Friday 24 May 2013

Exposed: We track down pervert PSNI officer

Disgraced PSNI officer William Neil McGonagle pictured outside his house yesterday

This is the shamed police officer who has admitted making a series of indecent photographs of children.

The media had previously been banned from identifying sex offender cop William Neil McGonigle, who has pleaded guilty to 10 counts of making indecent photographs of a child and one count of attempting to make such images.

But when he admitted his crimes earlier this week a judge lifted the reporting restrictions and the Belfast Telegraph tracked him down to his Tandragee home where he spends his days before returning to PSNI Headquarters in Belfast where he has been ordered to reside as his only bail condition.

After pleading guilty to the charges at Newry Crown Court McGonigle was released on bail to return for sentencing later this month.

The 39 year-old — who is understood to have been based in the Banbridge area before his sordid crimes were uncovered — was suspended from the PSNI on full pay when he was first charged with the offences in March last year.

The PSNI said they could not confirm if he is now going to be dismissed as they "do not discuss individual officers or the details of internal management procedures", but Policing Board member Basil McCrea said that in light of the seriousness of the offences there is no doubt that he will lose his job.

The case has sent shockwaves through the Tandragee community where McGonigle had been residing at the time of his arrest.

"He is within walking distance of a school and lives in the middle of an estate where there are many young children and it is making the families there very nervous," said one Tandragee resident.

The resident added: "I must say a lot of people are very surprised that the only bail condition imposed on him is that he resides at police headquarters. That means he is free to go wherever he wants throughout the day. I thought the movements of sex offenders were supposed to be more actively monitored?"

The offences also shocked McGonigle's PSNI colleagues.

A security source said: "The case has been the topic of conversation for some time among officers that worked with him. Everyone is pretty horrified by all of this. These are very serious offences."

Policing Board member Basil McCrea said: "Police officers represent all walks of life. The vast majority are absolutely law-abiding but unfortunately from time to time some people break the law and have to be dealt with.

"I cannot comment on individual cases but where any individual is found guilty of serious crimes like this I believe in the courts being very tough."

It is understood McGonigle spent some time in psychiatric care following his arrest.

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