Courts / Ireland / Report
Sentence cut for man who defiled girl (13)
Summary
In 2018, Darragh Meehan, then 19, was sentenced to six‑and‑a‑half years for online sexual exploitation and defilement of a 13‑year‑old girl. He met her via Skype, Facebook and text, exposed himself, urged her to masturbate and performed sexual acts when they met. The victim's mother reported the messages to Gardaí. Meehan pleaded guilty to one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation between December 2011 and May 2012, with no prior convictions. On appeal, the Court of Appeal found the original nine‑year headline sentence too high, reducing it to seven‑and‑a‑half years, then to five years imprisonment, taking into account Meehan's good character and lack of prior Garda attention. The final year was suspended, conditional on Meehan's submission to Probation Service supervision for one year after release.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Sentence cut for man who defiled girl (13). Charges or matters: one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation of the girl on dates between December 2011 and May 2012. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-05-13 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of defilement and three counts of sexual exploitation of the girl on dates between December 2011 and May 2012 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Sentencing him to six-and-a-half years imprisonment in March, 2018, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said Meehan had groomed the victim whom he described as "a child in the full sense". This was reduced to five years imprisonment to take account of Meehan's previous good character and the fact he had not come to adverse Garda attention in the long period of time it took the case to come to court.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Appeal's view
Topics
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