Online ID theft and sexual posts ‘ruin’ ex’s life

Vile explicit messages, purporting to be from a woman who was a childcare worker, were posted online by a man she had gone out with briefly seven years before.

The messages, suggesting the woman was available for sex, were all written in the first person and were all accompanied by the woman’s full name and postal address.

The woman eventually discovered that they had been posted by Paul Monaghan, aged 34, from Cartron, Kilrooskey, Co Roscommon. She had gone out with him in 2004.

The woman, aged 36, told Roscommon Circuit Criminal Court that she had been shunned by friends, had given up her job, and had been receiving counselling until her savings ran out after the lewd posts, suggesting she was offering sexual favours, began appearing on a website.

The woman told the court that the messages were posted in 2011 and had continued for around eight months before she found out about them.

The woman said she was extremely shocked when she discovered the articles and could not fathom who would want to do such a thing to her.

Sgt John Hynes said he launched an investigation after the distraught woman contacted the gardaí. The website was based in Buenos Aires and the site owners immediately agreed to take down the items, as they were in breach of the site’s rules.

However, the owners are still unable to take down ratings which website users awarded to each person who posted their profiles seeking sexual partners.

On the website, the man, purporting to be the victim, invited men to get in touch for sex. The lurid messages outlined what ‘she’ wanted men to do to her. In one message, the man said she was married “but not getting enough”. In another, it was stated that her sister would also get involved, while another message invited men to “eat chips from my knickers”.

Men then posted messages and responses on the website, outlining in graphic detail what they would like to do with the woman.

“It attracted the other creatures out there lurking behind anonymity,” said Judge Tony Hunt.

Sgt Hynes told Judge Hunt that he traced the IP address used to a dwelling in Carrick-on-Shannon but the woman living there knew nothing about items being posted on the adult website.

The victim did not know the woman living at the Carrick-on-Shannon address but then recognised the woman’s partner, Paul Monaghan, as she had gone out with him for about two months around 2004.

Sgt Hynes said Monaghan was questioned and admitted posting about the woman over an eight-month period in 2011. He could not offer an explanation for his actions but said he was unemployed at the time and drinking a lot.

The victim said she had gone out with Monaghan for about two months in 2004 but broke it off because she found him domineering. They went their separate ways and there had been no contact since then.

She said could not believe that Monaghan, who now works with the Leitrim Development Company, would do this to her. His name never entered her head when she was trying to figure out who would do such a disgusting thing to her.

The victim read an impact statement which outlined how her life had been ruined.

She said she would not accept it was a reckless action — it had gone on for eight months and it was designed to cause the maximumdamage to her.

She said she could not concentrate on her work, she could not sleep, and, eventually, her health deteriorated and she had to give up her job. She received counselling but could no longer afford it.

The victim said she went from being hard-working, caring for children, and enjoying her life, to a person in need of counselling and trying to survive on social welfare.

Monaghan, who offered €10,000 in compensation, did not give any motive for his crime but told Sgt Hynes he was disgusted by what he did.

John Monaghan, a garda stationed in Dublin, gave a character reference for his brother. He said the Monaghan family wanted to apologise for what Paul Monaghan had done.

Garda Monaghan said that his family had suffered as well. His father was a retired garda. They had been “named and shamed” in the media. He said his parents and other relatives were in court to offer support to Paul Monaghan.

Judge Hunt remanded Monaghan on continuing bail for sentencing next week and ordered him to have no contact with the victim.