Case of man jailed for offering boy (13) money for sex has all characteristics of "miscarriage of justice", court told

Thomas Folliard, aged 63, of Church Road, Aughamore, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, has moved to appeal his conviction for sexual exploitation of a child at the Court of Appeal. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment by Judge Rory McCabe in October 2017 following his conviction at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court. The charge related to an alleged incident in January 2016 in which Folliard allegedly offered €50 to a 13-year-old boy for sex. His legal representatives argue the case exhibits characteristics of a miscarriage of justice, citing the gardaí's failure to conduct a formal identification parade and the manner in which CCTV footage was presented to the complainant. Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions maintained the evidence was compelling and the complainant's account consistent throughout proceedings. The three-judge panel, chaired by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgment.