A paedo-sting pervert who groomed what he thought was a 14-year-old girl admitted he was “sick” to vigiantes who confronted him.
He also admitted trying to meet the child at Costa Coffee cafe in Bishopstown, Cork city, on July 29, 2019, for the purpose of sexual assault.Bowen had been messaging what he thought was a girl of 14 in the UK – but he was in fact communicating with decoy group, Cobra. He said: “I knew what I was doing was wrong, I thought she was older than she was... I knew going for girls half my age was wrong.Messages were exchanged between Bowen and the decoy who at one point asked if he was sure he was OK speaking to her because she was 14.
He texted the “girl” pictures of his genitals. He was trying to get her to come to Cork to have sex with him and had cleaned out the back of his van, where gardai found a box of condoms.