Courts

Man (38) charged with impersonating a woman on Facebook and inciting two others to rape her

The case in Ennis District Court is believed to be the first such prosecution brought before the courts

21/04/2017 STOCK: The Courts of Criminal Justice on Parkgate St. Dublin Photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times The Criminal Courts of Justice Exterior view CCJ

Sgt John Burke of Ennis Garda Station told Judge Alec Gabbett that the DPP consents to the case being returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court. Photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times

Gordon Deegan
Thu Feb 8 2024 - 15:39

A 38-year-old Co Clare man has appeared in court charged with inciting two other males to rape a woman.

In what is believed to be the first such prosecution brought before the courts, the man is facing two charges of inciting two males to rape the woman on dates between November and December 2020.

In total, the man is facing nine separate charges and at Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett has sent the accused forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

Underlining the scale of the Garda investigation by the Clare Divisional Protective Services Unit (DPSU) into the alleged offences, a four volume Book of Evidence has been served on the accused.

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In the case, the man is accused of inciting a male to rape a woman between November 18th and December 20th, 2020 within the State, contrary to common law.

In a second charge, the man is accused of inciting another male to rape the same woman between November 22nd and December 6th, 2020.

The man is also facing three charges of impersonating the same woman via internet communications on a website, fetlife.com and those communications invited persons unknown to attend her home and the home of two other females for the purpose of visiting violence on the persons therein, thereby causing a risk of death or serious harm to the named woman and two other females.

Fetlife describes itself as “the most popular social network for BDSM, fetish and kinky community”.

The three charges are contrary to Section 13 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The Clare man is facing three other charges of impersonating the same named woman in Facebook communications which invited persons unknown to visit violence on her and two other named females, creating a substantial risk of death or serious harm to all three.

The date of these alleged offences contrary to Section 13 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 cover date periods from November 26th, 2018 to December 26th, 2020.

The man is also charged on January 17th, 2021 at an Ennis address having in his possession four child sexual abuse images in breach of Section 2 of the Child Pornography Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998.

In court, Det Sgt Paul English of the Clare DPSU gave sworn evidence of serving the Book of Evidence before court.

Sgt John Burke of Ennis Garda station told Judge Gabbett that the DPP consents to the case being returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

The accused - who did not speak in court during the brief hearing - first appeared before court last October.

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