Man charged with attempted exploitation and sending sexual material to child

A man accused of trying to send sexually explicit material to a child and attempting to facilitate sexual exploitation has been granted bail but warned not to contact anyone aged under 18.

Patrick McInerney (39) of Main Street, Kilkishen, Co Clare, appeared before Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court charged with five offences that allegedly occurred earlier this year.

Garda Tracy O’Neill gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. She said she met the accused at a Dublin Garda station and charged him. “He made no reply to the charges after caution,” she said.

Judge Smyth heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions directed trial on indictment at the Circuit Court level.

Judge Smyth noted there were no objections to the man’s bail in his bond of €500 with conditions suggested by the Garda: that he sign on once a week at a Garda station and have no contact “by any means”, including social media, with a child under 18.

Gardaí must also be able to call him on the mobile phone number he provided.

Judge Smyth ordered him to appear again in November to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial. Legal aid was granted after the judge noted from counsel that the accused was on a community employment scheme and had no assets.

He is accused of intentionally engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature on January 25th and the following day at an unknown location.

Another charge alleges that on February 5th, at an unknown location in Dublin that, by means of information and communication technology, he attempted to send sexually explicit material to a child.

He has another charge for the same offence between January 30th and February 18th.

He is also accused that, between January 30th and February 18th, he attempted, by using information and communication technology, to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child under 17.

The offences are contrary to various sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 2017.