Donegal solicitor critical of process after further delay in sexual exploitation case

A District Court Judge has said she expects to see progress in the case of a man charged with child sexual exploitation offences in Donegal.

The man, who is in his 30s and has been held in custody since his arrest in July, appeared via video link before Letterkenny District Court.

The court heard that a book of evidence in the case is not yet ready.

Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for the accused man, said the position is that directions have been received and he has indicated instructions to the State. He said his client is to be sent forward on a signed plea in respect of one charge and should be returned for trial on the other.

Sergeant Jim Collins said that new directions have been sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“I don’t understand why because this is a process that the defence is entitled to,” Mr O’Brien said.

Judge Emile Daly said she was not making the case peremptory against the State, but added: “I do expect progress”.

The man was remanded in custody to appear again before the court on December 8.

“The DPP should do their job correctly,” Mr O’Brien added.

The man is charged that, on dates between July 10, 2025 and July 15, 2025, he did by means of information and communication technology, namely Snapchat and WhatsApp, communicate with another person for the purpose of the sexual exploitation of a child under the age of 17.

The charge is contrary to Section 8 (1) of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

The man is also charged that he did intentionally travel with the intention of meeting a child under the age of 17 years, having communicated specifically using an ICT device with the child at least on one previous occasion for the purpose of doing anything that would constitute sexual exploitation of that child.

This charge is Contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

A previous court was told he was arrested in the Letterkenny area in July and was found in possession of five condoms, while “other sexual paraphernalia” was found in a property.

His arrest followed allegations which were widely shared on social media and he was charged by detectives in Donegal at 4.07pm on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

The court has been informed that detectives obtained copies of conversations between the accused man and what was described as “a fictional child”, who he believed was 13 years of age, on Snapchat and WhatsApp.

The man, with an address in the Dublin area, booked an apartment in Letterkenny for a number of days and Gardaí also seized other items and documents from the man’s vehicle.

Bail was refused in the case after Gardai outlined a concern that the defendant - who has a first class honours degree from an Irish university but has been recently made unemployed - would attempt to flee the jurisdiction if he received bail and would not make himself available to be dealt with by the law.