Man accused of sexually exploiting a child breaks bail conditions

The man is granted bail again after contacting alleged victim over Snapchat

A man charged with the sexual exploitation of a child, and who broke his bail conditions, has been granted bail again.

The man, who cannot be named, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court in Co Donegal on Tuesday as gardaí sought to have his bail revoked after he contacted the girl by Snapchat.

The accused had been ordered to sign on weekly for the past 20 weeks at a Garda station but had failed to do so on 13 occasions.

Gardaí also said the mother of the alleged victim had said he had been in contact with the girl and that the two had had sex on a number of occasions.

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Judge John Aylmer asked gardaí if the man was considered a flight risk.

Gardaí revealed that about €20,000 in cash was found in the man’s house and that he had another €20,000 in a bank account.

After some deliberation between the man's barrister, Peter Nolan, and state barrister Patricia McLaughlin, an agreement to new bail conditions was reached.

The court ordered that the man cease all contact with the alleged victim physically, by phone and by social media.

The man also agreed to move from his home area to Letterkenny, where he is to sign on four times each week and also provide gardaí with a mobile phone number.

The man agreed and was warned that any breach of these conditions would result in the man’s bail being revoked.