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Man pretended to be Love/Hate actors to sexually exploit girl (14)
Summary
In March 2021, a 30‑year‑old man named Mark Byrne was sentenced to a suspended four‑year term for child exploitation. Byrne used fake Facebook accounts impersonating actors Killian Scott and Robert Sheehan to lure a 14‑year‑old girl into sending him nude photographs over eight months. He threatened to post the images on her Facebook if she did not comply. The victim, obsessed with the TV series, initially sent a clothed photo and later a nude one after Byrne claimed he was depressed and would kill himself otherwise. Byrne also sent a generic image of an erect penis, claiming it was his. The case was uncovered when the girl's mother saw the messages and reported them to Gardaí. Byrne pleaded guilty to one count of child exploitation and admitted the offence. The judge highlighted the role of social media in facilitating such crimes and noted Byrne's lack of maturity and prior lack of convictions.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man pretended to be Love/Hate actors to sexually exploit girl (14). Charges or matters: one count of child exploitation between October 2013 and June 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2021-03-12 Publication
Why: "This offence was facilitated partly because of the fact that the accused could set up a fake identity without it being verified by Facebook," she said. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of child exploitation between October 2013 and June 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She handed down a four-year sentence but suspended it on a number of conditions, including that Byrne engage in a sex offenders treatment programme and remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for four years. "I think that will meet society requirements in terms of public safety going forward," the judge said. She said that had Byrne been an older man at the time of the offence, she would have imposed a custodial sentence.
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