Man charged with abduction of teenage girl released on bail from Belfast

Other charges against the man included driving a vehicle without insurance or a driving licence. 

The man was released on bail to his Co Louth home despite PSNI objections. File picture.

An 18-year-old man charged with the abduction of a 14-year-old girl has been granted bail.

The man, from Co Louth, appeared via videolink from police custody before a district judge in Belfast on Saturday morning.

As well as a count of child abduction, he is also charged with possession of an indecent image and several motoring offences.

The charges come two days after Mr Maculevicus's arrest last Thursday night in Belfast, 24 hours after gardaí in Ireland issued an emergency Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) Alert on Wednesday night. 

Gardaí first issued a missing person’s appeal for the girl early on Tuesday after her father reported her missing on Monday evening.

Information gathered by gardaí on Tuesday and Wednesday led them to have serious concerns for the girl’s health and welfare.

After a detailed assessment by senior gardaí the case met the criteria for a CRI Alert, which are issued very rarely and only in the most serious of cases.

While the teenagers knew each other the case was considered an abduction as the girl is a juvenile and had been gone since Monday without the permission of her parents and the 18-year-old was an adult.

Representing the accused, solicitor Sophie McClintock said her client was in full employment, had no criminal record and had the full support of his family.

“His family are extremely supportive of him,” she said.

A police officer objected to bail amid concerns the man would not return to Northern Ireland to face legal proceedings if he was allowed to return home to Ireland.

The court was told a picture found in the accused’s wallet had been classified as a “category A” indecent image.

Ms McClintock said the accused’s parents were willing to offer a £5,000 cash surety as an assurance he would return to court. She said the accused was also willing to offer €4,000.

District judge Amanda Henderson granted bail with a number of conditions.

Those included £500 (€573) bail from the accused and a further £5,000 (€5,734) cash surety, that he is to reside at an address agreed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), that he surrender his passport and that he have no contact whatsoever with the alleged victim.

The case was listed for a further hearing on May 4.