A man who “preyed” on a young woman using threatening fictional online identities to coerce her into having non-consensual sex with him has been jailed for nine years.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Adam Roche (27) posed online as third parties issuing threats that her pet would be harmed or images of her disseminated unless she carried out sexual acts.
The young woman believed Roche, who was known to her and whom she trusted, to also be a victim of the same threats and he reassured her they should comply with the directions.
In her victim impact statement, the woman said Roche had crafted a web of manipulation and cunningly feigned victimhood to coerce her into non-consensual sexual acts. She said the sustained sexual abuse and exploitation has had a profound impact on nearly every aspect of her life.
"Naive and deceived"
She described feeling “naive and deceived” on finding out the truth which “shattered” her.
Roche, of Ashbrook, Tullow, Co Carlow pleaded guilty to counts of sexual assault, rape, anal rape, oral rape and aggravated sexual assault on dates between August 2015 and January 2018.
He now has six convictions including one conviction for possession of child pornography which came to light when his devices were seized during the course of this investigation.
Passing sentence on Monday, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said this was a repetitive, serious, and systematic process of sexual abuse of the injured party over two years, arising from the abuse of trust the woman had in Roche.
He said Roche knew the vulnerability and naivety of the young woman and preyed upon her using a very high degree of manipulation and sophisticated deception.
He noted the threats that intimate material would be disseminated or her pet harmed to keep her in line and in compliance with his wishes.
He said an especially aggravating feature of the case was the coercive recording of the sexual acts.
Mr Justice Hunt noted the profound effects of the offences on the victim and that her trust in Roche had been abused and corrupted over a long period.
He said Roche attempted to take advantage of her better nature, noting she was a very good-natured person, and made her feel sympathy for him.
The judge said this was sexual exploitation and must have been a torment for her. He noted she is relieved the process is over and wished her well on moving onto a brighter chapter of her life.
No fault of hers
He said he hoped she realised this was no fault of hers and she should never look at it in that way.
The judge complimented Garda John O’Connor and the gardai in Tullow on the extensive investigation carried out and said some of the bigger stations could “take a leaf out of their book”.
Mr Justice Hunt set a pre-mitigation headline sentence of 14 years which he said was proportionate to the extent of the offending.
He took into account in mitigation the guilty plea, which he accepted was early. He noted the apology by Roche, his remorse and his youth at the time of the offending.
He said impulses in Roche had led to this offending which must cause concern about future repetition but noted a probation report indicating he is coming to terms with his difficulties.
The judge reduced the sentence to 10 and a half years and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions to incentivise rehabilitation and good behaviour.
He ordered Roche to stay away from the woman, her family and partners in perpetuity.
During the sentence hearing, the court heard the woman describe in her victim impact statement her initial sense of terror at the threats made to her by the online identities.
She told of the tens of thousands of messages she received focused on her sexual exploitation. She said the accused man had exploited her trust.
She said she had been in constant fear at the time and that the offences had impacted relationships, her trust in others, and her self-image and devastated her life.
“I don’t think I will ever truly be the same person I was before this,” she told the court.
Brighter future
She thanked those who had supported her and said she was looking forward to a brighter future.
The court heard that in some of the 125,000 messages analysed in the case, she would be directed to go to the Roche’s house to perform sexual acts with him and send photographic or video proof to the personas, directed what clothes to wear or to film herself using sex toys in different locations.
She was required by the messages to engage in sexual acts that Roche knew she did not wish to do. She was also told how to act in front of Roche, to “talk dirty” and required to “cry less”.
Colman Cody SC, defending, outlined a letter of apology written by Roche in which he said he was truly sorry for what he did. He said the young woman deserved better, that he had taken advantage and would regret it forever.
Mr Cody asked the court to take into account Roche’s guilty pleas which he submitted were significant in this unusual and difficult case.
He said it appeared Roche, who was between 19 and 21 years old at the time, had developed a distorted fixation and obsessiveness in relation to the young woman.
He said Roche is now in a relationship and has developed insight and awareness into his actions.
Counsel said Roche had difficulties in school, was diagnosed with ADHD and his life at the time centred on spending an unhealthy amount of time on his computer and on the young woman.
By Fiona Ferguson
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