Man who altered name on dating site and breached Sex Offenders Act jailed

USING an Irish version of his name to sign up for a dating site cost a man an eight-month jail sentence as he breached the terms of the Sex Offenders Register by altering his name without letting gardaí know.

Owen Rea was on the Sex Offenders Register following a conviction for the distribution of child pornography to others, for which he was later jailed.

Now at Cork District Court he has pleaded guilty to a charge stating that between November 17, 2021 and July 25, 2022, being a person to whom part 2 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 applied, he failed to notify gardaí of a name not previously notified and subsequently used by him, as required under provisions of Act.

Sergeant John Kelleher outlined the background to the case against Owen Rea, aged 47, whose address on the charge sheet appeared as being care of Castlerea Prison, Roscommon, but he was released from there a number of months ago.

The offence of changing his name occurred after he had admitted the distribution of child pornography but before he was sentenced for this.

A woman who knew Owen Rea made a statement in which she outlined that she had become aware Rea had been using the Irish language version of his name in what she felt was his intention to avoid the repercussions of a conviction he had obtained for child pornography.

On investigation by Detective Garda Bryan Murphy, it was discovered he, the defendant, had signed up to a dating site and numerous social media accounts using the Irish version of his name, which is determined to be a breach of his obligations under the Sex Offenders Act, Sgt Kellegher said.

Rea had also used the Irish version of his name to obtain employment. He admitted using this version of his name but stated that he thought he was entitled to do so and did not know it was a breach of his obligations under the act.

Defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly said the accused got a two-year sentence with the last six months suspended on the child pornography charges. The solicitor said the facts in relation to the accused going on a dating site had been mentioned during his sentencing and the accused believed it was taken into consideration as an aggravating matter on that occasion. He was taken aback to be charged with a separate offence in relation to his name on completion of the Circuit Court sentence.

“He notified gardaí of his address at all times. He did sign up to a dating site using the Irish version of his name and applying for a job. He was not aware that this was a different name. He did not know it was subject to his notification obligation.

“When he was in court [for the child pornography distribution case] he signed a plea of guilty and there was publicity about the case. He was using his Irish name since he got outed by the newspapers. He wanted to have some semblance of a normal life. And the English version of his name is toxic. He is very worried about the effect of this case. He is trying to start his life afresh. It is quite difficult,” Mr Collins-Daly said.

Judge Mary Dorgan said: “This is quite concerning. It is a deliberate attempt to make sure that his background would not be found out by a person on a dating app… It is a clear breach of the act.”

The judge imposed an eight-month sentence and refused an application to suspend it. It may be appealed.

Rea previously had a Bishopstown address and was given a sentence of two years with the last six months suspended on charges of knowingly distributing child pornography using electronic service provider, Telegram, for the purpose of distribution, publication, exportation, sale or show. A second distribution charge in the same terms refers to another electronic service provider, KIK.

The third charge stated that on April 12, 2020, at an unknown location, he did knowingly produce text conversation using KIK and a Samsung Galaxy S7.

Det Garda Sheena Dowling said this KIK conversation consisted of the defendant boasting to other users in relation to this kind of sexual activity.