'Vigilante paedophile-hunting group' set up ruse to entrap Corkman

When accused attempted to contact a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual exploitation, the vigilante group made recordings of him which they posted online and alerted gardaí, court heard

The first charge alleges that between July 4 and July 26, 2019, the accused did attempt to communicate with a child by way of communication technology for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of that child. File picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

“Members of a vigilante paedophile-hunting group” set up a ruse to let a 45-year-old Monkstown man believe he was about to meet a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation and on Thursday he faced sentencing.

When Tim Bowen attempted to contact a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl for the purpose of sexual exploitation, the vigilante group made recordings of him which they posted online and alerted gardaí.