Delay to sentencing of Cork man caught by vigilantes posing as teenage girl opposed

The case of a man caught by a paedophile hunting vigilante group, members of which posed as a 14-year-old girl online and arranged to meet him, is too serious to be adjourned for a lengthy period, a court has heard.

Prosecution barrister Dermot Sheehan said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was opposing an application by lawyers for Tim Bowen (45) for an adjournment until April to allow him to undertake more counselling sessions as the offences were too serious and needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.

Bowen, of Cottage View, Monkstown, Cork, previously admitted attempting to communicate with a child by way of communication technology for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of that child on dates between July 4th and July 26th, 2019.

He also pleaded guilty to a second charge that he attempted to intentionally meet the child at Costa Coffee in Bishopstown in Cork on July 26th, 2019, for the purpose of doing something that constituted sexual exploitation of the child, namely sexual assault.

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An earlier court sitting heard that Bowen arranged to meet the child but was instead met by the group who called gardaí.

Engaging well

His case came back before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing on Wednesday. Defence barrister Sinead Behan told Judge Helen Boyle that Bowen had started the Safer Life programme and completed five hour-long sessions each month with clinical psychologist Dr Nicholas Banks, who felt he was engaging well with the programme.

Mr Sheehan said the DPP was opposed to deferring sentencing until that point as it would represent a delay of 18 months, which was not acceptable given the serious nature of Bowen’s offending.

Ms Behan said she was not seeking to adjourn sentence until her client completed the course but was instead proposing “a half-way house” in April to allow her client complete more of the course so a clearer picture of his progress could emerge.

Mr Sheehan said he was “not going to be placed in any half-way house situation” and reiterated that the DPP was strongly of the view that sentencing of Bowen should take place during the current criminal sessions running at the Anglesea Street Courthouse until the end of this month. He applied to have the matter dealt with next week.

Noting the DPP’s opposition to any lengthy adjournment, Judge Boyle granted the application and adjourned the matter until February 23rd. She remanded Bowen on continuing bail to appear again on that date.