By Isabel Hayes
A former member of the Irish defence forces who took an intimate photo of an 18-year-old woman without her consent is to be assessed for community service.
Henry Carey (27) pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of possessing an intimate image of the then-18 year-old woman without her consent at his home in Conroy Park, Kilcullen, Co Kildare on September 25, 2023.
Anne Rowland SC, prosecuting, said the then 24-year-old Carey had spent the night with the young woman after he matched with her on Snapchat and invited her to come over to his house.
The pair were unknown to each other prior to that.
The next morning, the woman was starting to get dressed when Carey took a photo of her without her consent.
She was entirely naked in the image, which he saved on his phone, the court heard.
When Carey was arrested, the image was found on his phone.
He has three previous convictions including for careless driving and failing to remain at the scene of a hit and run.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt queried why Carey took the photo at all, asking: “Was the night itself not enough for him?”
Eoghan Cole SC, defending, said it was “a rotten thing to do”.
He said his client was discharged from the army shortly before this offence and was abusing alcohol and cocaine at the time.
He served in Syria which led to mental health issues, the court heard.
Mr Justice Hunt noted that given there is a maximum sentence of 12 months for the offence and Carey pleaded guilty, a six-month sentence would mean he only spends a few days in jail in reality.
He said community service would be a more appropriate punishment for Carey given the circumstances.
He adjourned the case to February to allow for a Probation Services report.