Thursday 5 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6266Sexual exploitation of a child (online); sending explicit material; offensive conduct of a sexual nature · Co. Clare

Sex offender remanded in custody over train exposure charge in Clare

Patrick McInerney, a 42-year-old man from Kilkishen, Co Clare, was caught by a UK-based vigilante group after engaging in sexually obscene video calls and sending explicit images to people he believed were 14-year-old girls in February 2023. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child, sending explicit material, and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature. In March 2024, Judge Nolan sentenced him to three years in prison with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. In November 2026, McInerney was charged with exposing his penis on a train en route to a therapeutic session and was remanded in custody, with the judge indicating he may re-activate the suspended portion of his sentence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court5 Nov
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced19 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • McInerney completed three video calls (two via Facebook) and one WhatsApp video call with a decoy set up as a 14-year-old girl, during which he masturbated, and sent a photograph of his erect penis to the decoy.
  • He also sent explicit images, including a photograph of his erect penis, to a woman selling puppies online before she blocked him.
  • Reports were made to gardaí that he stood naked in the door of his home on Main Street, Kilkishen, and exposed himself to women passing by.
Where
McInerney lives on Main Street, Kilkishen, Co Clare.
When
The offences were committed on dates in February 2023.
Investigation
Gardaí were contacted by a UK-based group that creates decoys to catch people communicating with children, and McInerney was arrested the day of a planned meeting with his phone seized and analysed.
Charges
  • McInerney pleaded guilty to using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child, sending explicit material, and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature.
  • He was also charged with exposing his penis on a train while en route to a therapeutic meeting set up by the Probation Service.
In court
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; Judge Nolan remanded him in custody and adjourned for three weeks, indicating he may re-activate the suspended balance of the sentence under strict supervision.
Sentence
In March 2024, Judge Nolan sentenced McInerney to three years in prison with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions including 12 months of Probation Service engagement.
Other details
  • The woman selling puppies never complained to gardaí; the offence was discovered when gardaí analysed McInerney's phone.
  • McInerney made full admissions, provided gardaí with his social media passwords and nicknames, and admitted to a probation officer that he was engaging in this pattern of behaviour.
36 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMcInerney completed three video calls with the second decoy, two of them through Facebook. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe second decoy had been set up as a profile of a 14-year-old girl on Facebook. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMcInerney also contacted a woman selling puppies online and sent her explicit images. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatHe sent a photograph of his erect penis to a decoy who identified as a 14-year-old girl. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe completed three video calls, two through Facebook, during which he masturbated, plus a further video call on WhatsApp. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe sent a photograph of his erect penis to a woman selling puppies online, and a similar image the following day before she blocked him. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatReports were made to gardaí that he stood naked in the door of his home, on the main street in his village, and exposed himself to women passing by. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcInerney admitted to the probation officer that he was engaging in this pattern of behaviour. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMcInerney made full admissions and provided gardaí with his passwords and nicknames on social media accounts. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereMcInerney, 40, lives on Main Street, Kilkishen, Co Clare. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offences were committed on dates in February 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenHe made contact with the second decoy on 27 February 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offences occurred on dates in February 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenOn 27 February 2023, he made contact with the second decoy set up as a 14-year-old girl on Facebook. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí were contacted by a group set up in the United Kingdom that creates decoys to catch people communicating with children. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí were told McInerney had been communicating with two people he believed were 14-year-old girls. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationMcInerney was arrested the day of the planned meeting and his phone was seized and analysed. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHe was caught by a UK vigilante group that created decoys on social media. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeMcInerney pleaded guilty to using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child, sending explicit material and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe charges were using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child, sending explicit material, and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe was charged with an offence of exposing his penis on a train while en route to a therapeutic meeting set up by the Probation Service. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDefence accepted that McInerney made full admissions and gave gardaí his passwords and nicknames. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA Probation Service report indicated a willingness to work with McInerney. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said McInerney had responded to decoys when it was apparent they were very young. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge accepted there was good mitigation and hope for rehabilitation, but said McInerney deserves to go to prison. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtHe pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Nolan remanded McInerney in custody and adjourned the case for three weeks. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Nolan indicated he may re-activate the balance of the sentence but suspend it again under strict supervision. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge sentenced McInerney to three years in prison with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceMcInerney was sentenced to three years with the final 18 months suspended in March 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 18 months had been suspended by Judge Martin Nolan in 2024 on strict conditions including 12 months of Probation Service engagement. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe woman selling puppies never complained to gardaí; the offence was found when gardaí analysed McInerney's phone. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe article's opening line says he was jailed for 18 months. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherHe is now taking medication to assist him in suppressing these urges. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe no longer uses Facebook nor does he own a smartphone. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherJudge Nolan described the communication as obscene in nature and said McInerney undoubtedly deserves to go to prison. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 5 Nov2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Sex offender who allegedly exposed himself on train remanded in custody

    Reports the re-entry of McInerney's suspended sentence and his remand in custody after being charged with exposing his penis on a train and reports of standing naked in Kilkishen. Judge Nolan adjourned for three weeks and indicated he may re-activate the balance of the sentence under strict supervision.

    accused, Patrick McInerney, 42, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McInerney
  2. 19 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man who engaged in sexually obscene video calls with someone he believed was a girl (14) is jailed

    The article's opening line says he was jailed for 18 months, but the body reports a three-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended. No existing case matches this article.

    convicted, Patrick McInerney, 40, male, named, irish (judged from name)Patrick McInerney