Defendant was never an official Rose escort

THE Rose of Tralee company have moved to clarify that a man jailed in Cork this week for the possession and distribution of child pornography was never a Rose of Tralee escort.

35-year-old Timothy Lynch of St Oliver’s Place, Kanturk was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the possession and distribution of child pornography at and address in Finisk, Rivervalley, Mallow in 2015.

During the hearing Garda Niall Ruddy said the accused was “a former Rose of Tralee escort”.

This detail that was seized upon by members of the media covering the trial and which featured prominently in coverage of the case.

The Rose of Tralee have since clarified that while Mr Lynch had once acted as an unofficial escort at a Cork Rose selection event – a job that entailed simply walking a contender from her seat to the stage – he was never an official Rose of Tralee escort during the annual festival in Tralee.

It is also understood that Mr Lynch may have acted as a volunteer at a small number of Cork Rose Centre events but that he has never had any official involvement with the festival itself.

The Rose of Tralee have also pointed out that all aspiring Rose Escorts are put through a rigorous interview process which involves a thorough look at their backgrounds..