Transcript 2: ‘You asked a 14-year-old did she want to have sex?’... ‘Yes, so what?’
A MAN and woman from a group calling themselves Silent Justice confronted a man in Drogheda, Co. Louth, who they alleged was there to meet a 14-year-old girl that he believed he met online to have sex. It then emerges that the female has posed as the 14-year-old girl online.
VIGILANTE MAN: ‘I’m filming you for my protection and yours. You’ll find out rightly why I am here. So what’s your name? We will find out. If it is not Robert, what is your name?’ SUSPECT: [gives first name]: VIGILANTE MAN: ‘Who are you here to meet?... What age is the individual you are here to meet?’
SUSPECT: ‘She told me she was 14.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘She is 14 years old?’ SUSPECT: ‘Yes.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘What were you here to meet her for?
SUSPECT: ‘Just to get to know her.’ VIGILANTE MAN: [points to vigilante woman]. ‘Here is the individual you’ve been speaking to.’ VIGILANTE WOMAN: [appears to show him a photo off camera]. ‘Is this your photograph, can you confirm that’s you?’
SUSPECT: Yeah. VIGILANTE WOMAN: ‘And you are admitting you spoke to a 14-year-old girl and decided to meet?’
SUSPECT: ‘Yes.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘What was he here to meet her for?’ VIGILANTE WOMAN: ‘Sex.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘Is that correct?’
TARGET: ‘Well, I asked her did she want to and she said yes.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘You’re going to have to speak up for me. You asked a 14-yearold girl did she want to have sex?’
SUSPECT: ‘I just asked her, “are you interested?” And she said, “yes.” So if she is, so what?’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘Do you know what they call that? Rape.’ VIGILANTE MAN: ‘Under the Criminal Justice Act 1997, section 4, article 2, I am placing you under citizen’s arrest....’
SUSPECT: ‘You don’t have the authority.’
VIGILANTE MAN: ‘Oh, I do have the authority. You were here to facilitate a meeting with a child to have sex with her.’ [The suspect later is asked if he sent explicit images]
SUSPECT: ‘I sent a video. I asked her did she want to see something.’ VIGILANTE WOMAN: ‘And what did you send her.’
SUSPECT: ‘My penis.’