CHUN MING CHEN FROM GLANMIRE CO CORK JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING TEENAGE GIRL

In a case that has shocked the local community, Chun Ming Chen, a restaurant owner residing in Glanmire, Co Cork, was sentenced to a total of six years in prison for a series of serious criminal offenses, including sexual assault and the defilement of a teenage girl over a span of nearly three years. The crimes took place while the girl was employed at Chen’s Chinese restaurant, Ming’s, located in Glanmire.

Chen, aged 34 and an Irish citizen of Chinese descent, pleaded guilty to 25 separate charges related to the sexual abuse and exploitation of the young girl. These offenses occurred between November 2007 and August 2010, during which the victim was between the ages of 14 and 17. The details of the case were heard at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, where Mr. Justice Patrick McCarthy delivered the sentence.

During the proceedings, Sergeant Ciara Lee, who led the investigation, provided a detailed account of the case. She explained that Chen, who lived on Oakfield Close in Glanmire, was operating a Chinese restaurant called Ming’s when the victim, a secondary school student, began working there part-time. The girl’s employment coincided with her teenage years, a period during which she was vulnerable to exploitation.

The court was told that the abuse started subtly, with Chen initiating physical contact by kissing her and touching her inside her clothes. These initial acts of misconduct gradually escalated into more serious sexual assaults. The victim reported that Chen, also known locally as Jimmy, would often bring her home or take her along during food deliveries to houses in the area, during which the abuse continued.

As the timeline progressed, the assaults intensified, with Chen engaging in sexual intercourse with the girl when she was aged 15 and 16. The incidents reportedly occurred on a weekly basis for a period, causing significant trauma to the young victim. In her victim impact statement, read aloud by her mother, she described how her life had been profoundly affected by the abuse. She expressed her desire for her abuser’s name, Chun Ming Chen, to be publicly known, indicating her wish to be identified and to seek justice.

In sentencing, Mr. Justice McCarthy acknowledged the seriousness and escalation of Chen’s offending. He explained that the sentence was carefully structured to reflect the increasing severity of the crimes. The court imposed three separate sentences of three years each for the different groups of offenses, with each term to run consecutively. However, the final three-year sentence was suspended on the condition that Chen maintain good behavior upon his release.

The judge emphasized that this suspension was intended to protect the community from potential reoffending, considering Chen’s status as a married father of three. Additionally, Chen was ordered to register as a sex offender, acknowledging the gravity of his actions and the need for ongoing monitoring. Justice McCarthy also noted that Chen appeared contrite for his conduct, but the overall message was clear: such offenses would not be tolerated, and justice must be served to protect vulnerable individuals in the community.