Man pleads guilty to sharing intimate images of former girlfriend online 

Intimate images of a young woman were shared online by her ex-boyfriend three years ago and today he signed a plea of guilty to the charge.

The 24-year-old was sent forward for sentencing at the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court commencing on June 22.

Judge Miriam Walsh repeated at Cork District Court a previous order that nothing could be published about the case that may give rise to identification of the young woman. 

Naming the defendant appearing before the court today could effectively identify her, defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that it would accept district court jurisdiction but only on a plea of guilty. 

However, Judge Mary Dorgan, who recently retired, decided that whatever plea was entered, she would not accept district court jurisdiction.

Back before Cork District Court today, the defendant signed a plea of guilty to the charge, for sentencing at the circuit court.

The man, again wearing a suit with shirt and tie, appeared in court, accompanied by his parents.

He admitted the charge of distributing or publishing intimate images without consent with the intention of causing harm to the person or being reckless as to whether harm would be caused to her, contrary to the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020.

Sergeant John Kelleher outlined the background to the allegations: “On October 26, 2023, the alleged injured party made a complaint to gardaí that in July 2023, when at her boyfriend’s home, she discovered a video of her and the defendant engaging in consensual sexual intercourse.

“She said this was shared on (a website) without her knowledge or consent. When she confronted him to examine his phone she discovered that on March 10, 2023, he shared the video – to an unknown person he met on (the website) – of her in sexual acts with him and performing sexual acts on herself as well as images of her genital and breast areas, taken with her consent but she did not grant permission for these images and video to be shared.”