*The sentence was reduced.
A JUDGE has jailed a 27 year old Ennis man for asking a mother on Snapchat could he have sex with her two year old daughter.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford imposed the 18 month prison term on father of three, Thomas Quinn of Watery Rd, Ennis and with a bail address in Co Cork for the offence committed on August 29th 2020.
Judge Comerford said that there was an intent to harm a child and the public understandably shows revulsion at this type of crime.
Judge Comerford said that there has been no admission by Mr Quinn to the offence of communicating with the woman online for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of her then two year old girl.
A jury convicted Mr Quinn of the offence at a trial at Ennis Circuit Court in May and the case was adjourned for sentencing.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Comerford said that Mr Quinn’s crime was “a crime of intent”.
Judge Comerford said that Mr Quinn’s actions in the Snapchat exchange with the mother were “irrational and impulsive”.
He said, “The child was never going to be in danger because her mother was always going to protect her”.
Judge Comerford said that he was going to put the offence in the lower level of such offending for one to four years in prison where prison terms of up to 14 years can be imposed.
He said that there was “an absence of direct or indirect consequence for the victim”.
Judge Comerford said that the offence didn’t seem to be in any way calculated.
Investigating Garda in the case, Garda Nadine Keane said that the two year old girl’s mother came to Ennis Garda Station to make a complaint that Mr Quinn had communicated via Snapchat and asked her if he could have sex with her two year old daughter.
Counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey) said that in the Snapchat, Mr Quinn said that during the conversation he asked the woman if he could ‘feek’ her two year daughter.
Ms Comerford said that there is no dictionary definition for ‘feek but the woman understood that Mr Quinn wanted to have sex with her daughter.
Later in the exchange on his request, Mr Quinn asked ‘if you let me, I would…’ and persisted when asking ‘but would you let me?’
Garda Keane said that the mother had known Mr Quinn for a number of years and had been messaging him on and off for six months before August 29th 2020.
Garda Keane said that the woman kept screenshots of Mr Quinn’s request.
Judge Comerford said that Mr Quinn always denied making the comments and had argued that some third party had interposed themselves on his Snapchat.
However, Judge Comerford said that “those denials set at nought by really good police work”.
Judge Comerford set a headline sentence of 26 months and reduced it to 18 months.
Judge Comerford said that he could not suspend any part of that 18 months due to no admissions being made by Mr Quinn so there can’t be any steps towards rehabilitation. Judge Comerford said that Mr Quinn is now on the Sex Offenders register as a result of the conviction and can be identified in the reporting of the case.
