JEROME BRENNAN, EX-CLUB BOSS FROM BELFAST AND PETERLEE, JAILED FOR GROOMING MINOR

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming, Jerome Brennan, a 49-year-old man originally from Manorcunningham, Donegal, has been sentenced to prison for engaging in inappropriate and illegal conduct involving a minor. Brennan, who once managed Northern Ireland's first lapdancing club, was convicted of internet sex grooming after he falsely presented himself as a female representative of a modelling agency to establish a deceptive relationship with a 15-year-old girl.

According to court records, Brennan arranged to meet the young girl in a car park located in Middlesbrough. The meeting was supposed to be part of his manipulative scheme, but the girl, upon realizing the true nature of his intentions, fled the scene. Brennan's actions were uncovered when authorities traced communications between him and the teenager, revealing that he had been in regular contact via his mobile phone, despite denying any involvement in the grooming process.

At Teeside Crown Court, Brennan was sentenced to a one-year prison term. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, a measure designed to monitor and restrict his activities to protect the community. The court also imposed a seven-year ban on Brennan having any unsupervised contact with children, reflecting the severity of his misconduct.

Further background information indicates that Brennan had previously operated the Movie Star cafe in Belfast’s Botanic Avenue, a venue that gained notoriety before closing in 2003 due to financial difficulties, owing approximately £300,000. His address was listed as Thorpe Road in Peterlee, County Durham, at the time of his arrest and trial. Despite his claims of innocence, evidence from his mobile phone proved his involvement in the grooming scheme, leading to his conviction and subsequent imprisonment. This case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in combating online exploitation and protecting vulnerable minors from predatory individuals.