Police have refused to release a mugshot of a sex offender who sought to rape a 10-year-old girl despite a court ruling allowing him to be named.

As previously reported on HTFP, Steven John Dowson, 49, from Augher, County Tyrone, was caught by undercover police attempting to arrange to meet a young girl for sexual abuse.

Dowson used a social media platform to engage with what he thought was the father of a female child who was in fact a police decoy.

The decoy claimed to have a 10-year-old daughter and Dowson asked to meet her, graphically describing what he wanted to do and enquiring “can I f*** her?”

Reporting restrictions were imposed when Dowson first appeared in court for the offences after he claimed he would self-harm if identified publicly.

However the ban was overturned after a challenge from court reporter Tanya Fowles, pictured, with Judge Brian Sherrard declaring there was “a strong imperative for criminal justice to work in public.”

Follwing the judge’s ruling, Tanya applied to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to provide Dowson’s custody image – but the force refused to do so.

The PSNI responded: “Following discussions with the Senior Investigating Officer, it has been determined there is no lawful policing purpose to release the custody image.”

The force’s refusal to release the image has now led to a further challenge from Tanya who has escalated the matter to the chief constable.

Meanwhile the force has released four images of four men sentenced or controlling prostitution at Belfast Crown Court, a move which Tanya described as “selective decision-making.”

Said Tanya: “Why these were released but Dowson’s was refused, and what  “lawful purpose” separates the two cases? Also why is there continuing PSNI disparity with the approach at best appearing disjointed and at worst, selective.

“Are PSNI releasing images to protect further potential adult victims of sexual criminality including controlling prostitution/exploitation,  yet blocking that of a convicted child sex-offender?

“If so, how is that justified given the inherent risks to children? If not, what possible reasoning can be proffered?”

The PSNI said in a statement: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s policy on the release of custody images is being reviewed and this review is ongoing. 

“While the review of the Police Service of Northern Ireland policy on the release of custody images is ongoing, in certain cases, by exception, the release of a custody image upon sentencing may be considered by a Senior Investigating Officer if they determine there is a lawful policing purpose so to do. This is subject to approval by an Assistant Chief Constable.

“The two cases have been carefully considered. In the case of MacCormack and others, it was determined there were exceptional reasons justifying the release of custody images. In particular, Police believe there are other vulnerable victims who have yet to be identified, who have yet to come forward, and who are therefore suffering in silence.

“The decision to release photos of the four defendants was made with the intention and hope that release of the images will play a part in encouraging other victims to come forward.

“In the case of Dowson, there were no exceptional reasons to release his custody image.

“The Police Service of Northern Ireland fully recognise that this is an important issue and we are working to ensure that our policy on the release of custody images upon sentencing is reviewed as quickly as possible.”