Clare man sent Snapchat video of insect bite on his crotch to teenage niece

In one Snapchat message, the man asked his wife’s sister’s daughter to perform a sex act with her hand on him after he bought her a naggin of vodka in October 2020, court heard

At Ennis Circuit Court, judge described the 38-year-old man’s Snapchat messages to the girl as 'a moment of madness' and imposed a one-year suspended jail term on the accused

A Co Clare man who sent photos and a video via Snapchat of an insect bite on his crotch area to his 15-year-old niece has escaped jail.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Eoin Garavan described the 38-year-old man’s Snapchat messages to the girl as “a moment of madness” and imposed a one-year suspended jail term on the accused.

In one Snapchat message, the man asked his wife’s sister’s daughter to perform a sex act with her hand on him after he bought her a naggin of vodka in October 2020.

The man pleaded guilty to communicating with a child via Snapchat on October 19 to October 21, 2020, for the purposes of facilitating the sexual exploitation of the teenager.

Judge Garavan said the man had used his niece “for a type of sexual satisfaction”.

He said: 

It was all wrong, all inappropriate, all exploitative and there was a huge breach of trust."

Judge Garavan said, however, that the man “can’t be regarded as someone who will do this again”.

Judge Garavan said what the man had done “was out of character”. He commented: “People make mistakes.” 

In October 2020, the teenager told her mother of the communication and after her mother informed her sister, she threw her husband out of the family home and they remain separated.

The woman was in court to support her husband and Judge Garavan said he was “very impressed” by the content of a letter that was handed into court on behalf of the woman.

Victim's statement

In a statement to gardaí, the teenage girl said the man “kept sending me pictures of the insect bite he had on his crotch area and a video of the insect bite and his penis was in the background”.

The man purchased a naggin of vodka for the girl and after he made the purchase he asked his niece to perform a sex act on him with her hand.

The teenager replied: "That is disgusting" and removed him from her Snapchat.

The man messaged her later via WhatsApp to say: "Sorry. I was way out of order.”

The teenager took screenshots of the messages which formed part of the State case against him.

In a text to the girl’s mother, the man apologised for his actions.

He wrote: “Sorry for what I have done to ye and to your daughter. Everyone involved. It is disgusting. I know it is. It is vile and stomach-churning. I wish I could give an explanation but I can’t. If ye have been to the Gardai, can you give me the name of the Guard and I will go and give them a statement or whatever you want me to do. Sorry.” 

The teenager opted not to provide a victim impact statement to court and counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL, instructed by Clare State Solicitor Aisling Casey, said “she and her family want to put the matter behind them”.

Depression

The man was suffering from depression at the time and spent a number of nights at the acute psychiatric unit in Ennis.

Detective Garda Ruth O’Sullivan said the man has no previous convictions and is employed. Det Garda O’Sullivan accepted what happened “was a one-off event”.

Counsel for the man, Yvonne Quinn BL, said that her client “is deeply, deeply ashamed of his actions. There were immediate repercussions and he was thrown out of the house there and then after his wife was informed.” 

Ms Quinn said her client’s remorse was genuine and Det O’Sullivan also accepted the man regretted sending the messages as soon as he sent them.

Judge Garavan said that the man pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and admitted everything from the outset.

He said: “He didn’t try to hide and didn’t try to minimise his behaviour or detract from his culpability.” 

Judge Garavan said that in her letter, the man’s wife said she has lost husband and her best friend as she described him.

The two have young children together and the woman said the man remains a great father and she trusts him with the children.

Judge Garavan said: “She knows him better than anyone and I am quite happy to accept her clear view that what happened was contrary to his conduct, and that he is a man who is good, honest, trustworthy, has had issues and had a lot of things going on in his life. This was an aberration in his conduct.”