Man accused of malicious Facebook comments remanded in custody while clarification sought over child sex offences

A Facebook user accused of making indecent communications following last week’s Woolwich terrorist killing was today remanded in custody while other allegations of sexual offences against a 13-year-old girl are clarified.

Benjamin Flatters appeared via video-link from Lincoln Prison at Skegness Magistrates this morning to answer the charges against him.

He had been accused of sending ‘indecent or grossly offensive’ messages to his Facebook friends from Lincoln on May 22.

The alleged comments followed the Islamist terrorist attack in which British soldier Drummer Lee Rigby was hacked to death on a street in Woolwich.

Flatters also faces four charges of inciting a 13-year-old girl in Boston to engage in sexual activity, without penetration, and two further counts of offering cannabis to the same girl dating back to November 2011.

Entering the video-link room with his hands down the front of his grey tracksuit bottoms, the pale skinned, ginger haired 22-year-old spoke only to confirm his name and address with the magistrates.

Paul Wood for the prosecution and Andrea Wilkes, defending, both sought an adjournment to clarify issues relating to the sexual offence charges.

Flatters, of no fixed abode in Lincoln, will appear before Skegness magistrates via video-link again on June 12.

He was remanded in custody at Lincoln Prison without applying for bail.

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