A MAN has been convicted over sending "menacing" online communications as part of a police investigation into exploitation and intimidation of south Belfast's Roma community.
Daniel Serban (41), of Tildarg Street in Belfast, was convicted in his absence on Thursday of improper use of an electronic communications network.
The charge is understood to relate to the sharing online of images of intimidating posters put up in south Belfast last year.
A second man – Florin Bondor (32), of Thorndale Avenue in the north of the city – has been brought to court charged with the same offence.
He denies the charge and the case at Belfast Magistrates Court has been adjourned until next week.
Both were accused of sending "by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that was of a menacing character" in October last year.
Serban, a member of the Roma community, had entered a not guilty plea but was convicted on Thursday at Laganside courthouse in his absence. His case has also been adjourned until next week.
Meanwhile, it has emerged the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has decided not to pursue a case against another man, Nicolae Nicola – a prominent member of the north's Roma community.
Mr Nicola (30) is the public face of an organisation called the Romanian Roma Community Association of Northern Ireland (RRCANI), based in the Holylands.
He was arrested in February and police later sent a file to PPS to consider the alleged offences of harassment and attempted intimidation.
The PPS decided not to pursue a prosecution after concluding that its evidential test had not been met.
It follows police launching an investigation last year into claims of exploitation and intimidation of south Belfast's Roma community.
The Irish News revealed documents showing that whistleblowers had contacted the Belfast trust alleging that RRCANI was charging Roma "large sums of money" for benefits advice – and "fraudulently filling out benefits applications without their consent".
In response, the trust moved its Early Years services from RRCANI's offices to another venue, citing "concerns regarding their governance, exploitation and community control".
RRCANI strongly denied the allegations.
Following the claims, intimidating posters appeared on walls in south Belfast which named and made false allegations about two Early Years staff who worked closely with vulnerable members of the Roma community. The incident was reported to police.
The PSNI yesterday confirmed its wider investigation is ongoing.
"Our investigation into exploitation and criminality affecting the Roma Community, led by Criminal Investigation Branch in Belfast, is continuing," a spokeswoman said.
She thanked those who have come forward so far and appealed for anyone in the community with information to phone police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
