Locations
Albert Road, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, BT38
Description
A choirmaster who once performed in front of the Pope in Rome has been charged with a child sex offence.
Nigel McClintock, the subject of a three-part BBC 1 NI documentary in 2010, was at Belfast Magistrates Court this week charged with sexual communications with a child.
The 50-year-old acclaimed organist and conductor, from Albert Road, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, is accused of committing the offence in April this year.
McClintock, who studied at the Royal College of Music, was not required to appear in person but during a short hearing at Belfast Laganside Courthouse, a police officer told the court they could connect him to the charge.
The exact wording of the charge states that he “for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, intentionally communicated with another person... and the communication was sexual or was intended to encourage (name removed) to make (whether to you or to another) a communication that was sexual, and (name removed) was under 16 and you did not reasonably believe that (name removed) was 16 or over contrary to section 22A of the Sexual Offences (NI) Order 2008”.
He is yet to enter a plea and the case was adjourned until later this year.