Gorey resident to serve 6 months in jail after vigilante sting operation

A Wexford resident who was caught trying to communicate with a child for sex by a vigilante sting operation has been jailed for six months.

59 year old Paul Fanning with an address in Gorey but originally from Dublin, asked for sexually explicit images from dating profiles of what he believed to be 2 teenage girls. The profiles had been set up by the vigilante group which targets suspected pedophiles. Mr Fanning contacted the profile of "Ali" who mentioned she was 13 years of age and asked to engage with her in sexual activity. He was taken to Dublin Circut Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate with a child for purposes of facilitating sexual exploitation. The judge in the case sentenced Mr Fanning to two and a half years in prison with two years suspended under the condition that he undergo therapy. He will now serve six months in jail.