Kevin Smyth, 58, an ex-OPW worker, avoids a jail sentence after sending sexualised messages to an undercover officer who was posing as a young girl, according to reports from the Irish Times and BreakingNews.ie. Prosecutors said Smyth communicated using the username “Older Guy” and believed he was messaging what he thought was a 13-year-old. The court is reported to have considered a psychological assessment by Dr Catherine Norton, who states Smyth presents a low risk of reoffending if he continues with specialist counselling.
Both outlets describe the case as involving communications that were sexual in nature and directed at someone Smyth believed was underage. While the reports do not detail the full message content, they agree on the central facts: Smyth’s age, his former employment with the OPW, the undercover nature of the interaction, and the role of specialist counselling in the sentencing outcome. The accounts indicate the judge takes into account the assessment’s findings when deciding against immediate imprisonment.
