Ian Kernohan, then aged 39, originally of Ballymena, County Antrim, remains designated as a serious high-risk priority for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and the Probation Board for Northern Ireland under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA).
Kernohan was returned to Maghaberry Prison after being convicted of his 21st breach of a court-mandated Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
An investigation established that while residing at an approved bail hostel in Belfast, Kernohan initiated a covert relationship with a woman from the north coast.
Kernohan claimed to be the woman’s fiancé while deliberately concealing the association from his designated public protection risk manager, in direct violation of strict requirements to notify authorities of any female acquaintances.
Court records document an extensive history of deceptive offending, with judicial findings describing Kernohan as devious and an immeasurable danger to children and vulnerable adults.
Prosecutors outlined how Kernohan previously used internet dating platforms to target single mothers to gain access to their homes and children, including an incident where he was discovered tickling a two-year-old child.
In another instance, Kernohan targeted a vulnerable woman with the mental age of a child, subsequently deleting electronic communication logs to evade police scrutiny.
Kernohan’s prior convictions include:
- Two counts of indecent assault on children in 2009
- Indecent assault against a 10-year-old girl
- Multiple convictions for breaching public protection orders
Authorities previously intercepted Kernohan attempting to circumvent security measures to gain access to a nursery school in Coleraine.
Kernohan remains subject to a lifelong Sexual Offences Prevention Order containing stringent contact restrictions, permanent notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register, and strict geographical exclusion bans including the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, with any further non-compliance resulting in immediate recall to prison.
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