Courts

Man (40) jailed for sending lewd image of himself to ‘public figure’ and two others

Additional one-month term imposed on man who committed solo sex act in public on Galway to Limerick train service

Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said that his client, the man, who lives in an isolated, rural area, 'has lost a lot'. Photograph: Reuters
Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said that his client, the man, who lives in an isolated, rural area, 'has lost a lot'. Photograph: Reuters
Gordon Deegan
Wed Apr 03 2024 - 15:29

A judge has sentenced a 40-year-old Co Clare man to four months in prison for sending a lewd image of himself to a “public figure”.

In the case at Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett imposed three concurrent four-month prison terms on the accused for sending lewd pictures of himself to three “random” women in Dublin, Kerry and Limerick, including an unnamed public figure.

Judge Gabbett also imposed a one-month prison term on the accused after the man committed a solo sex act in public on the early Galway to Limerick train service in February 2023.

Solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said that his client received a three-year prison term with the final 18 months suspended in Dublin last month.

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The accused received the prison term after engaging in sexually obscene video calls with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Judge Gabbett said that the sentences are to be consecutive to the 18-month prison term.

Mr Fitzpatrick told Judge Gabbett that “for someone who has never come before the courts, my client is serving a significant sentence that has had a profound effect”.

After reading victim impact statements in the case, Judge Gabbett said that the women who received the lewd images “were traumatised”. He said the accused had “transmitted explicit images to innocent victims”.

One of the injured parties who witnessed the man masturbating on the 6.15am Galway to Limerick service on February 20th, 2023 videoed the incident and handed over the recording to gardaí.

Judge Gabbett remarked that one of the women to receive a lewd image “is a public figure”. He said a Probation Report handed into court confirmed that vigilantes “have come upon the man”.

Judge Gabbett previously ruled due to “the vigilante behaviour” and out of concern for the personal safety of the accused that reporting restrictions would operate in the case.

The Probation Officer told Judge Gabbett that her report has recommended a therapeutic programme which deals with individuals who have sexual harmful behaviours.

Mr Fitzpatrick said that his client, who lives in an isolated, rural area, “has lost a lot”.

He said his client no longer has a smartphone and that he has insight into his condition.

Mr Fitzpatrick said his client sourced the phone numbers of the three women he sent images to from Instagram. He said that his client “has expressed a willingness to address his harmful behaviour”.