Vigilante group has scuppered Garda’s child grooming case
Online crusade alerted suspect in ‘cut and dry’ case who then deleted evidence
A GARDA investigation into a ‘cut and dry’ case of child grooming has been compromised after a vigilante group shared allegations and images of the suspect on social media, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
The allegations were shared hundreds of thousands of times by vigilante groups
Tradesman friended clients’ daughter
here and in the UK, and among community groups and concerned parents who are unaware of the damage that can be done to criminal investigations.
In another twist in the case, a member of the vigilante group directly communicated with the suspect online, an action that may result in a prosecution of the vigilante involved.
Gardaí have repeatedly asked Facebook to take down the content, which it did, but every time it is taken down it is shared again.
The case involves a tradesman who allegedly tried to groom the 10-year-old daughter of a client online after he had finished work at her parents’ home.
Screenshots of the Facebook messages sent between the two show the man, aged 30, asking the child to get into bed with him.
The disturbing messages only came to light after the girl’s mother checked her daughter’s messages.
She angrily shared screenshots of the conversations, alongside images of the suspect. These have since been shared over and over again by vigilante groups.
Investigating gardaí arrested the man in recent weeks, but detectives fear that due to the continuity of evidence being compromised, the Director of Public Prosecutions may not direct a charge.
Or, even if the suspect is charged, that his defence solicitor will argue his right to a fair trial has been be damaged because of the number of times the allegations have been shared online.
It is understood the man has since wiped his computer and phones of any incriminating evidence after being alerted by the vigilantes.
He is understood to have left his home after being confronted by the vigilante group and is now believed to be hiding out in the UK. A source said: ‘This was a cut and dry case. The problem with these vigilante groups is they do not understand the law. They may feel they are doing good in the world, but in reality their interference in this case could result in the suspect getting away scot free.’
In a further development, a member of the vigilante group, who claims to be have been acting as a decoy, communicated with the suspect online and they had conversations about kidnapping a child.
In the eyes of the law, the person from the vigilante group is as culpable in the case and could be charged with possession of child pornography.
A source said: ‘These people do not know the law. At the very least they should get legal advice, but what the gardaí want is that it is left to the professionals.’
Group made contact with suspect online