24/06/2008

Man Sent Teen Boy "Lewd" Texts

A 64-year-old has been ordered to pay compensation to a junior cert teenager whom he had sent lewd text messages.

The married father-of-two John Geaney of Ballinahina, Co. Cork, pleaded guilty to five counts of sending indecent text messages to the teenager in June 2007.

At the Cork Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Geaney was sentenced to two years, which would be suspended if he paid the victim £12,000 compensation.

The court heard how after the 15-year-old boy got off a bus close to his home in Co. Cork, the defendant pulled up alongside in his car and said his phone was giving him trouble.

Geaney asked the youth if he would call his mobile phone from the youth's own one as he was expecting a call and wanted to see if his phone was working, and then asked the boy some personal questions. Later that night, the victim received a slew of calls and texts described as being of "a lewd and sexual nature".

The court heard the boy then told his parents who immediately contacted the gardaí who were able to trace one of the numbers on the victim's phone to a registered mobile phone belonging to Geaney.

Judge Patrick Moran was handed a transcript of the calls and texts Geaney had sent to his young victim.

He said this was a shocking incident and commended the victim on his bravery in telling his parents which had resulted in the accused being caught.

Judge Moran imposed a two-year suspended sentence on the defendant as long as he agreed to pay €12,000 in compensation.

(DW/JM)

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