A MAN who was at large for a week after failing to attend the outcome of his trial, was back in court today (Friday March 27) following his re-arrest.

Patrick Maughan was not present at Durham Crown Court on the fourth and final day of his trial, on Thursday March 19.

The 55-year-old, from Helmington Row, near Crook, County Durham, attended the first three days of the hearing, earlier in the week.

He denied 16 counts of making indecent images of a child, one of possession of 713 such images, another of possessing extreme pornography, relating to 54 images of adults involved in sexual acts with animals.

Maughan also denied two counts of doing acts intended to pervert the course of justice, relating to threatening messages sent via an inadvertent third party to his ex-partner, after she left him, in November 2013.

Having given evidence as part of his defence case on the third day of the hearing on Wednesday March 18, Maughan was unexpectedly absent for the closing speeches and judge’s summing up of evidence the following day (March 19).

It was agreed to continue the case in his absence and by the end of the day, following less than 90 minutes’ deliberation, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on 19 of the 20 charges, only clearing Maughan of one of the two counts of perverting the course of justice.

In the light of the verdicts, with the defendant still not present, Judge Simon Hickey issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

Durham Police confirmed they were looking for Maughan and issued an appeal asking the public for help to trace him, on Thursday (March 26), a week after his apparent “disappearance”.

It stated that Maughan did not appear to have been back to his home address in Helmington Row during the previous week.

As he was previously from the Newcastle area, it was thought possible he may have returned there.

It added that some people may not know him as ‘Patrick Maughan’ as he has previously befriended people using a false name.

But he was produced from the cells at the court during the afternoon sitting today (Friday March 27) after the warrant was executed with his arrest in Northumberland earlier in the day.

The court heard he was brought to court from Bedlington Police Station.

He admitted a new charge of failing to attend court and honour his bail.

Judge Christopher Prince adjourned the hearing to allow preparation of a background probation report on Maughan.

He was remanded to remain in custody until the sentencing hearing, back before Judge Hickey, who presided over the trial, on April 21, when he will be dealt with for all the offences of which he has now been convicted.