June 2022

Cork Man went to meet underage girl for sexual exploitation caught by Paedo hunters

A man in his forties who went to meet an underage girl for the purposes of sexual exploitation was caught in a sting operation organised by “paedophile hunters”, Cork Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Tim Bowen of Cottage View in Monkstown, Co Cork was sent forward for sentencing from Cork District Court having signed pleas of guilty to two charges.

The first charge is that between July 4 and July 26 2019 Mr Bowen did attempt to communicate with a child by way of communication technology for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of that child.

The second charge is that at Costa Coffee café in Bishopstown in Cork city on July 26 2019 he did attempt to intentionally meet the child for the purpose of doing something that constituted sexual exploitation of the child, namely sexual assault.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the 45 year old had gone to meet what he thought was a 14 year old girl in Cork three years ago.

However, Judge Sarah Berkeley was told that the defendant was in fact never in online contact with an underage person but rather with a group of “paedophile hunters.”

Bowen was granted bail