46 year old Tim Bowen, formerly of Cottage View in Monkstown Co Cork appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today.
The court previously heard that Bowen went to Costa Coffee café in Bishopstown on the 26th of July 2019 in an attempt to meet what he thought was a 14 year old girl for the purpose of doing something that constituted sexual exploitation of the child, namely sexual assault.
He was also charged with attempting to communicate with a child by way of communication technology for the purpose of facilitating the sexual exploitation of that child between July 4th and 26th 2019.
The self employed handy man previously pleaded guilty to two charges at Cork Circuit Criminal court.
Judge Colin Daly heard today that Bowen was trying to get the 'girl' to leave the UK and come to Cork.
However the girl did not exist and was an adult from a group who was posing as a 14 year old.
Sgt Gary Duggan said members of the vigilante group were waiting for Bowen when he arrived at the café and gave Gardaí a dossier with images, texts and messages.
Judge Daly jailed Bowen for three and half years and suspended two years of the sentence.
