Courts / Dublin / Report
Rapist caught in online sting was under supervision order
Summary
Thomas Cunningham, 55, of Dublin 8, was convicted of attempting to communicate with a child for sexual exploitation between July and August 2019. He had been under an eight‑year post‑release supervision order after a 2017 release from a 10‑year sentence for 41 sexual offences. In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced him to four years, suspending the final year, and imposed a five‑year good‑behaviour period with Probation Service engagement. Cunningham pleaded guilty to three charges and admitted sending 1,660 messages to a decoy profile set up by a child‑protection group, believing the recipient to be a 14‑year‑old. He also sent 185 messages to an unidentified number and 211 to a third number, claiming the child was 15. He denied any sexual content but admitted intent to meet the children. The judge noted no contact had occurred and highlighted Cunningham's prior serious sexual assault conviction.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist caught in online sting was under supervision order. Charges or matters: three charges of attempting to communicating with a child for the purposes of facilitating sexual exploitation on dates between July 2019 and August 2019. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 3 Other
- August 21, 2019 Other
- July 12, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 19, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2021 Other
- 2023-03-29 Publication
Why: The group informed him that they had information regarding a suspected sex offender and explained that the man had been communicating with a fake profile the group set up purporting to be a 14-year-old girl. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: three charges of attempting to communicating with a child for the purposes of facilitating sexual exploitation on dates between July 2019 and August 2019 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: At a hearing today, Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Cunningham to four years, with the final year suspended. Judge Nolan noted that Cunningham has a background of a serious sexual assault conviction, for which he got a ten-year sentence.
Places mentioned
- Emorville Avenue
- South Circular Road
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
Related court reports
- Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
- Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
- Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
- 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
- Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
- 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request