Clare man accused of posting intimate images of 15-year-old girl on Snapchat

In the Coco’s Law prosecution, court heard the man put online a collage of four intimate images of the girl on November 15, 2022

At Kilrush Courthouse, Judge Alec Gabbett declined district court jurisdiction due to the seriousness of the alleged offences and the categorisation of the images. File picture

A 20-year-old Co Clare man has been returned for trial accused of posting a collage of intimate images of a 15-year-old girl onto his Snapchat stories in a so-called Coco’s Law prosecution.

At Kilrush District Court, the book of evidence was served on the man who is charged with three offences over the posting of the intimate images in November 2022 when he had just turned 18.

Judge Alec Gabbett said the case comes under Coco’s Law, formally known as the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 which criminalises the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.

The accused is charged that on November 15, 2022 he published or distributed an intimate image of the female without her consent with the intention to cause her harm contrary to Section 2 (1) and (3) of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2001.

Further charges as alleged victim was a minor 

As the alleged victim was a minor at the time of the alleged offence, the man is also facing two charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act on November 15, 2022.

The man is accused of knowingly having in his possession ‘child pornography’, the image of the female aged under 17 which, the charge says, depicts her genitals on the date.

The man is also charged with producing child pornography for the purpose of distribution, publication, exportation, sale or show contrary to Section 5 (1) of the Child Trafficking Act and Pornography Act 1998.

Judge Gabbett told the accused that if an alibi formed any part of his defence, his solicitor, Patrick Moylan must submit details to the State within 14 days.

Girl made complaint to gardaí 

In court in June, Garda Nadine Keane, now of Roxboro Garda Station, Limerick said it will be alleged that the accused had in his possession a collage of four intimate images of the female on November 15, 2022 and posted them to his online Snapchat stories on the same date.

Garda Keane said that one of the images depicting the girl’s genitalia was a Category Two image as categorised under the Child Trafficking Act and Pornography Act.

Judge Gabbett said that Category One would be regarded as the most serious followed by Category Two.

Garda Keane said that the images were left online for a number of hours before they were taken down by the man who allegedly posted them.

She said that the female — who turned 18 earlier this year — made a statement of complaint to gardaí and was interviewed by specialist garda interviewers.

Garda Keane said that the case was investigated by the Clare Division Protective Services Unit based at Crusheen. She said that when charged at Kilrush Garda Station on May 29, the accused made no reply after caution.

She said the DPP has directed that the case be heard in the district court on a plea of guilty only.

After hearing an outline of the facts at the court hearing in June, Judge Gabbett said that he was declining district court jurisdiction due to the seriousness of the alleged offences and the categorisation of the images.

The case will now be transferred to the circuit court where more serious penalties apply on conviction.