Man pleads guilty to engaging in sexual activity with 15-year-old boy

A 45-year-old man has been remanded on bail after he pleaded to a number of sexual offences including engaging in sexual activity with a minor at a location in Cork city.

Garfield Ebbs of Fairfield Green, Farranree, Cork, pleaded guilty to a total of five offences when he was arraigned before Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.

Ebbs pleaded guilty to engaging in a sexual act with a 15-year-old boy at a location in Cork city on a date unknown between September 1st 2018 and May 25th 2019, contrary to section 17 of the Criminal Law (Sex Offences) Act 2017.

He also pleaded guilty to paying for sexual activity with a female prostitute at Kilbarry Industrial Estate, Dublin Hill in Cork on January 7th, 2020, contrary to section 25 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

Ebbs also pleaded guilty to three counts of intentionally engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature by recording unknown males in toilet cubicles, contrary to section 45 (3) of Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

The charges state Ebbs filmed the males on his phone in toilets at Apple Computers, Hollyhill on June 26th, 2016, Cork Airport on March 31st, 2018, and Blackpool Shopping Centre on August 6th, 2019, and that he stored the film clips on his phone.

Defence barrister, Ray Boland BL said that he was seeking an adjournment to allow his client to undergo psychological assessment and State Solicitor for Cork City, Frank Nyhan said that the state had no objection to an adjournment.

Judge Ó Donnabháin adjourned the matter until September 8th next for sentence and he remanded Ebbs on bail to appear on that date. He ordered him to surrender his passport and not apply for any new travel documents.