A man was caught in an online sting after sending sexualised messages to an undercover PSNI operative posing as a 13-year-old girl.
Former Office of Public Works (OPW) employee Kevin Smyth (58) of Dublin Road, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, will be sentenced in May.
He pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to four offences under the 2017 Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act on various dates in 2021.
The first charge states that on July 15th, he attempted to intentionally cause a child to look at an image of himself engaging in sexual activity, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, or corrupting a child.
He also admitted attempting to use information and communication technology applications, Skype and WhatsApp, to facilitate child sexual exploitation on dates between June 29th and July 19th.
Smyth, who worked in river cleaning for the OPW, also pleaded guilty to attempting to invite a child to sexual touching on June 30th.
Det Sgt Eric Naughton of the Divisional Protective Service Unit in Athlone told Judge Keenan Johnson that the Police Service of Northern Ireland sent an intelligence pack to gardaí regarding a specific user on chat rooms and social media apps.
He initially went under the username “Older Guy” when he was communicating with what he thought was a girl aged 13 named Jess.
He began asking if “Jess” looked “hot” in her school uniform and, using graphic terms.
The court heard that after gardaí identified him, he claimed that he did not know it was a child. Later, he made full admissions.
John Shortt SC, defending, said his client, who had no prior convictions, was married, had lost his job and his marriage and family life as part of the collateral damage.
A psychological report identified that the offence stemmed from sexual addiction issues. The senior counsel referred to case law that when addiction has been identified, the primary issue for the court is rehabilitation and preventing reoffending.
The court found that the defendant needed specialised counselling.
Adjourning the case, the judge said that “if the internet had not been invented, a lot of these offences would not see the inside of a courtroom. Temptation would not be there.”
While a wonderful tool for information, it was a “cesspit as well”, he added.