The men, including a church elder and ex-police reservist, all pleaded guilty to intentionally engaging in sexual activity, contrary to section 71 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 after being caught on CCTV having sex alone or with other men at the Railway Road public lavatories in the town.

Constable Paul Crieth of the PSNI told the court that a sting operation was mounted at the end of last year after complaints were received from members of the public. He added that he was not aware of any of the accused approaching anyone not involved in the cottaging ring.

Solicitors for the defendants detailed several attacks against their clients, including an incident where the car of one was pushed against a defendant's home and set on fire. One solicitor claimed that his client had been "subjected to Ku Klux Klan mentality" after local newspaper reports on the cottaging ring.

Before passing sentence, Resident Magistrate Mr McNally condemned the attacks and added that any violence against the defendants as a result of the hearing would be fully investigated by police and perpetrators brought before court where they "will be severely dealt with".

Imposing fines on all the defendants between £250 and £700, Mr McNally said: "All defendants are in their 40s, except one who is 29 years old. They are all decent people, all law abiding apart from these activities, which would not have been illegal had they occurred in private.

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