CREEP JAILED AFTER REPEATEDLY SENDING PICTURES OF HIS GENITALS TO A CHILD
A man known as Gavin Anthony Gillen has been convicted of engaging in grossly inappropriate and illegal sexual communication with a young girl, leading to his imprisonment.Gillen, a resident of Milfort Avenue in Dunmurry, Belfast, was sentenced to a prison term of ten months at Newry Crown Court yesterday, just one day before his older brother, James Gillen, was scheduled to be sentenced for an unrelated violent crime involving the use of a crossbow.
The nature of Gavin Gillen’s offenses is particularly disturbing.
Over two years ago, he engaged in a series of sexual messages with a girl who was only 13 years old.
Despite being nearly 30 years older than the juvenile, Gillen proceeded to flirt with her through explicit and sexually suggestive messages.
Court documents reveal that Gillen referred to the girl as a “total honey” and asked her questions about her exposure to pornographic material, as well as making explicit inquiries about penises and sexual images.
Specifically, Gillen sent the girl multiple sexually explicit images, including two photographs of an erect penis, and pressed her to comment on whether she found the images appealing.
During the court hearing, Prosecuting Counsel Nicole Auret detailed how Gillen’s messages started with comments about the girl’s clothing but quickly escalated to graphic content.
Gillen asked her whether she preferred girls over boys and repeatedly instructed her to delete the pictures after sending them.
The incident came to light when the police received reports of Gillen’s behaviour.
Law enforcement was able to capture screenshots of the messages exchanged that night December 17, 2020.
The teenager’s family members cooperated minimally, and authorities noted that the girl’s responses were limited during the investigation.
Gillen was arrested and later admitted to knowing the girl’s age at the time he was sending the explicit messages.
During police interviews, he claimed he was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine when he engaged in the misconduct.
Gillen also tried to justify his actions by stating he was attempting to advise the girl to avoid boys and insisted that he was homosexual, claiming the images he sent were not his own private parts.
Defence lawyer Conor Lunny expressed remorse, indicating that Gillen was deeply emotional about how his actions had disrupted his life and relationships with his family.
The lawyer further apologized to the girl and her family on Gillen’s behalf, emphasizing his client’s regret.
Judge Peter Irvine KC emphasized the gravity of such offenses, highlighting the legal system’s stance that crimes involving the sexual exploitation and grooming of children warrant strict penalties.
In addition to his prison sentence, Gillen was ordered to be listed on the sex offenders register for the next ten years.
The judge also imposed a sexual offences prevention order, which restricts Gillen’s residence options, whom he may associate with, his employment, and the devices he can possess.
The case underscores the ongoing concerns surrounding online sexual abuse and exploitation of minors in Belfast and beyond.
Authorities continue to warn the public about predators who exploit digital platforms to target vulnerable young people, and Gillen’s conviction serves as a stark reminder of the serious consequences that follow such criminal behaviour.
