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Sunday World
23-07-2025
- Sunday World
Co Donegal businessman admits sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl
The accused cannot be named at this stage of proceedings A Co Donegal businessman has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. The man, who is in his 40s, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court. The accused, who cannot be named at this stage of proceedings, spoke only to plead guilty. He pleaded guilty to assaulting the girl by touching her on her breast and her vagina through her clothing. A second count was taken into consideration. The court was told the married businessman, who is also a father, employs a number of people in his business. He has no previous convictions. Letterkenny Circuit Court. Photo: North West News Pix News in 90 Seconds - July 23rd The court was told that the victim now resides outside of the country but was present in court for the brief arraignment. The charge is contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990. Ms Fiona Crawford BL, prosecutor for the State, said that the guilty plea to the count of sexual assault met the case on a full facts basis. Barrister for the accused man, Mr James McGowan SC, with Mr Peter Nolan BL, instructed by solicitor Mr Donough Cleary, said his client is a businessman with 'a number of employees'. The man's barrister requested a full Probation and Welfare Report on his client before final sentencing was passed. Judge Roderick Maguire granted the request and adjourned the case until October for sentencing. The victim, who was accompanied to court by a number of family members, was told she could attend the sentencing by videolink.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish businessman pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 15 year-old girl
A Co Donegal businessman has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. The man, who is in his 40s, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court. The accused, who cannot be named at this stage of proceedings, spoke only to plead guilty. He pleaded guilty to assaulting the girl by touching her on her breast and her vagina through her clothing. A second count was taken into consideration. The court was told the married businessman, who is also a father, employs a number of people in his business. He has no previous convictions. The court was told that the victim now resides outside of the country but was present in court for the brief arraignment. The charge is contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990. Ms Fiona Crawford BL, prosecutor for the State, said that the guilty plea to the count of sexual assault met the case on a full facts basis. Barrister for the accused man, Mr James McGowan SC, with Mr Peter Nolan BL, instructed by solicitor Mr Donough Cleary, said his client is a businessman with 'a number of employees'. The man's barrister requested a full Probation and Welfare Report on his client before final sentencing was passed. Judge Roderick Maguire granted the request and adjourned the case until October for sentencing. The victim, who was accompanied to court by a number of family members, was told she could attend the sentencing by videolink. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Sunday World
15-07-2025
- Sunday World
Man admits tampering with competitor's rally car before race
John Crothers admitted damaging the car of rally driver Richard Hall when he appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court A man has pleaded guilty causing criminal damage to a rally car belonging to a competitor at the Donegal International Rally. John Crothers, a 64-year-old, admitted damaging the car of rally driver Richard Hall when he appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court. Mr Hall had been due to take part in the Historics section of the rally in June, 2022. However, his car was interfered with before the race. The accused, of Ballynashee Road, Glenwherry, Ballymena, County Antrim, spoke only to plead guilty to the offence. Crothers is accused that he did, without lawful excuse, damage property, to wit, cut the fuel pump switch, the fan switch, three wires to the rev limiter and the safety switch of a motor car, a Ford Escort, belonging to Richard Hall, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged. Samuel John Crothers leaving Letterkenny Circuit Court. (North West Newspix) Barrister for the accused, Mr Peter Nolan, BL, requested a Probation and Welfare Report on behalf of his client. Mr Nolan said there is an "informal relationship" that the Probation Service in this jurisdiction can apply to their counterparts in Northern Ireland to have a report carried out. Judge Roderick Maguire agreed to the request. Mr Nolan said he would endeavour to request the Probation Service here to liaise with their counterparts in Northern Ireland to secure a report. The case was adjourned for final sentencing to the next sitting of the Letterkenny Circuit Court in October. The court was told that Mr Hall was in court.
Irish Examiner
09-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cork man had sexualised conversations with what he thought were girls aged 11 and 12
An online sting operation caught a 70-year-old man involved in sexualised conversations with parties he was led to believe were 11 and 12-year-old girls. Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Patrick Linehan, previously of Comeragh Park, The Glen, Cork, has pleaded guilty to criminal charges arising out of the sting and he has been remanded in custody for sentencing on June 20. Judge Helen Boyle agreed to adjourn the case to obtain a Probation and Welfare Report and a GP report but indicated that she would be dealing with it by way of a custodial sentence. Defence barrister Ronan Barnes said the accused pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and co-operated with the gardaí. He said the defendant had an exemplary work record with Cork City Council, where he worked for 31 years in drainage. Patrick Linehan admitted using information technology to interact with children for the purpose of sexual exploitation and arranging to meet a child for the purpose of sexual assault. Case background Detective Garda Brendan Murray outlined the background to the case. 'On July 8, 2023, gardaí were alerted to an incident at Comeragh Park, the Glen, Cork. On attending this address, they met with the accused, who was in the company of a number of people who purported to be members of an organization called Child Online Protection Enforcers. 'A member of this group handed gardaí two USB storage devices which, he stated, contained sexualized conversations between the accused and two female children aged 11 and 12 years. It was confirmed to gardai that these girls did not exist, but their profiles were generated by and controlled by adults posing as children. 'When interviewed by gardai, the accused, Pat Linehan admitted he had been in contact with two girls and acknowledged he was aware the girls really were 11 and 12 years of age. He later stated he thought the 12-year-old was 15 or 16 as she sounded older from the texts. 'He acknowledged he had sent her images and videos, but stated they were not obscene. He also stated that she had asked to meet with him a few times, but he had never met up with her. He described the communications with the 11-year-old girl as harmless fun. 'During the investigation, gardai analysed Facebook messages and WhatsApp messages between Pat Linehan and the decoy profiles of an 11- and 12-year-old female. The Facebook profile pictures of both profiles are of young female children who could not be mistaken to be adults. In the initial conversations with each of the profiles, Pat Linehan is informed he is communicating with children, and their ages are discussed on a number of occasions throughout the message threads. 'Pat Linehan initially states to both children he is 13 years old, but later, after sending selfie-type photos of himself, is challenged and admits he is older, stating he was 62. (He was 68 at the time). 'Pat Linehan sexualized the conversations very early in the communications with both profiles and describes in graphic detail sexual acts he would like to perform on the young girls… He asks if they would perform sexual acts on him, to which they reply, questioning if they're allowed to do that, given their ages. "Pat Linehan suggests nobody would know, that it would be a secret. He sent images of his penis to both girls, and he sent videos of a sexual nature to the profile of the 11-year-old girl. The message thread to both girls, began on the June 19, 2023, and continued for a number of weeks, concluding on the July 8, 2023.' - If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
