'I don't mind age': Cork-based restaurateur to be jailed for trying to sexually exploit a child

Undercover Canadian police officer repeatedly told accused ‘she was a 13-year-old girl’

The court heard the accused used Snapchat to talk in a sexualised manner with a primary school-aged child.

A Cork-based restaurateur will be jailed next month for attempting to sexually exploit a child in a case where an undercover Canadian police officer repeatedly told the accused that ‘she was a 13-year-old girl’ to which he replied, “I don’t mind age.”

 Turkish national Mehmet Umit Pala, of Maiville Terrace, Evergreen Road, Turner’s Cross, Cork, who has been in Ireland since 1996, has closed down two restaurants — one Turkish and one Italian — where he operated on North Main Street, Cork, since this case came to light.

Judge Helen Boyle heard the evidence against him on Monday and said she would impose a sentence on May 3. The adjournment was requested by defence senior counsel Ray Boland so that the accused could conclude certain business matters such as putting appliances into storage. While Judge Boyle did not specify the length of the sentence, she said: “This man will be going into custody.”

Detective Garda Craig Peterson said the accused used Snapchat to talk in a sexualised manner with a primary school-aged child, showing a picture suggesting that he — the accused — was a 19-year-old male.

This communication alerted police authorities and an undercover Canadian officer presented online as a 13-year-old girl, telling the accused three times that she was 13. This did not matter to him, Mehmet Umit Pala said, and he offered to show her a picture of his penis, Det Garda Peterson testified.

When arrested and questioned, he made admissions to speaking to between 50 and 60 children through social media.

Asked about child sexual abuse content on his phone, he told gardaí he did not know how it got there. Asked if he had searched for it, he replied that he did not remember.

Mr Boland said the 62-year-old man has had to close down his two restaurants on North Main Street since these matters emerged. The senior counsel said that, fortunately in this case, it was a police officer, not a child, with whom the accused communicated.

Mr Boland said the accused was in a long-term relationship with his partner and she continued to support him. He said there was a period when the accused was in denial but he had since admitted the offences.

“He engaged in this behaviour without contemplating the damage he was doing,” Mr Boland said on behalf of the accused. 

A Turkish interpreter was present to translate the proceedings for the accused.

The first charge states that he did knowingly have in his possession child sexual abuse content, namely one image file found stored on a Samsung Galaxy J3 mobile device on October 17, 2020. He pleaded guilty to that.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge that between April 28 and May 2, 2020, he did attempt by means of information and communication technology to sexually exploit a child.

Bail conditions require the accused to have no contact, direct or indirect, with any witnesses, sign twice a week at Anglesea Street garda station, reside at the Turner’s Cross address and notify garda of any change in address, be contactable by mobile phone and notify gardaí of any change in phone number within 24 hours and to surrender all travel documents and give an undertaking not to apply for replacements.