A 58-year-old man who caused considerable distress to ten women after he sent sexually explicit texts to their mobile phones has avoided a prison sentence and been ordered to take part in a sex offender treatment programme.
Jeff Cheyne, who is originally from Scotland, but was living in Schull in Co Cork at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty earlier this year to 13 sample counts of harassment of women on an indictment that contained 41 charges.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court was told that the offences occurred between 2014 and 2016 and came to light after the women made complaints to gardaí.
No evidence was given in court as to how he obtained the women's mobile phone numbers or if he knew any of them.
Following a garda investigation, Mr Cheyne was identified from CCTV footage after they traced the messages to a pay-as-you-go number credit which was bought at a Tesco store in Limerick.
The court was told that Mr Cheyne, who until recently lived at Loughtea, Ballina, Co Tipperary but is now residing in Co Clare, is deeply remorseful for his actions and had co-operated fully with the garda investigation.
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said Mr Cheyne had deeply upset the women and that a feeling of suspicion hung over everyone prior to him being tracked down by gardaí.
Judge Ó Donnabháin said an aggravating factor in the case was the number and nature of the offending. He said it had caused great distress to the women.
Taking into account the guilty plea, he sentenced him for two years but suspended the sentence on the basis that he completes a Safer Lives programme for sex offenders which the fisherman started last month.
