Case No. 1948Using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child · Co. Dublin · 1 Apr 2022
Mark Fitzgerald jailed for two years for sending explicit photos to over 100 teenage girls on Snapchat
Mark Fitzgerald, 39, of Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to five counts of using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child after sending explicit photos and messages to over 100 teenage girls on Snapchat in April 2022. He handed himself into Ronanstown Garda Station in May 2022 and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in April 2025. In a separate matter reported the same day, John McClean, 80, pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecently assaulting four boys at Terenure College between 1973 and 1990 and received a two-year sentence consecutive to his existing 11-year term. The four complainants in the McClean case, now men, wished to retain their anonymity.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced2 Apr
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Mark Fitzgerald, 39, of St. Marks Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to five counts of using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child.
- John McClean, 80, pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecently assaulting four boys at Terenure College between 1973 and 1990.
- Fitzgerald sent pictures of his genital area and received pictures in return from girls he had added randomly on Snapchat, without ever meeting them in person.
- Fitzgerald instigated 136 conversations with underage girls in April 2022, asking for photos and using sexualised language, while the remainder of his 1,490 conversations involved women aged 17 and older.
- When
- The Fitzgerald offences occurred in April 2022 and the McClean offences occurred between 1973 and 1990.
- Where
- The Fitzgerald offences took place in Dublin and the McClean offences occurred at Terenure College, Dublin.
- Investigation
- Fitzgerald handed himself into Ronanstown Garda Station in May 2022, gave his phone and PIN to gardai, and gardai analysed his 1,490 Snapchat conversations from April 2022 after requesting Snapchat to preserve the material.
- In court
- Both defendants were sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in April 2025.
- Sentence
- Fitzgerald was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
- McClean was sentenced to two years consecutive to his existing 11-year sentence, bringing his global sentence to 10 and a half years for offending against 45 boys at the school.
- Other details
- Fitzgerald's then-partner discovered the material on his phone and the relationship ended as a result.
- McClean has health issues including cancer and cardiac difficulties.
25 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMcClean pleaded guilty to seven counts of indecently assaulting four boys between 1973 and 1990 at Terenure College (irishtimes.com)
- whatMark Fitzgerald, 39, of St. Marks Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to five counts of using technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHis then-partner had come across the material while looking at his phone and the relationship ended because of this. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOver the previous 18 months, the ages of the girls he was communicating with was trending towards 12 to 14 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe never met the girls but was sending pictures of his genital area and receiving pictures in return. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe was not aware of where the girls were from and had added random girls on Snapchat. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatFitzgerald instigated 136 different conversations with underage girls during April 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe remainder of the conversations involved women aged 17 and older. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe would message girls asking for their age and a photo, then use more sexualised language telling them they are gorgeous and asking to see them in more revealing outfits. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe offered to send photos of his genitalia and asked the girls to take photos up their skirt or lift their skirts to show their underwear. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatWhen one girl asked for his age, he told them he was 20. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe said he would initially ask for photos of the girl's face, then look for more photos, hoping to eventually receive photos of their vagina. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences occurred on dates in April 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationFitzgerald handed himself into Ronanstown Garda Station in May 2022 and told them he had been contacting girls aged between 12 and 19 on Snapchat. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationFitzgerald handed over his phone and PIN to gardai. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardai made a request to Snapchat to preserve the material. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationFitzgerald's 1,490 conversations on Snapchat during the month of April 2022 were analysed. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationNo images were recovered due to the nature of the Snapchat app, but gardai analysed Fitzgerald's conversations. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationIn a voluntary interview in 2024, Fitzgerald said he was wrongly messaging underage girls and had sent pictures of his genital area. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceMcClean was handed a two-year sentence consecutive to an 11-year sentence with the final three years suspended, imposed in 2021 (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceMcClean will not spend extra time in custody for the four most recent complainants (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceFitzgerald was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMcClean is serving a global sentence of 10½ years for offending against 45 boys at the Dublin secondary school (irishtimes.com)
- otherMcClean has health issues including cancer and cardiac difficulties (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 2 Apr2025Jailed for sending explicit photos to over 100 teenage girls on Snapchat
Reports the sentencing of Mark Fitzgerald to two years' imprisonment for Snapchat sexual exploitation offences, including details of the investigation and mitigation.
convicted, Mark Fitzgerald, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Mark Fitzgeraldvictim, 12-19, female - 2 Apr2025‘Justice has been served’: Former Terenure College rugby coach John McClean convicted of abusing another four teenagers
Reports the conviction and sentencing of McClean for four additional complainants, details of his global sentence, and the court's reasoning for not increasing his time in custody.
convicted, John McClean, 80, male, named, irish (judged from name)John McCleanvictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, male