Jashua Robert Tremblay has pleaded guilty to three charges under Canadian child sex tourism legislation and is due to be sentenced today.
According to the Irish Independent, Tremblay, who is said to be in his early 30s, got in touch with a 13-year-old from Co Kerry online in 2012, and in 2014 visited Ireland twice and had sex with the teenager.
The girl, who was 14 at the time Tremblay flew to Ireland, later revealed to police that he had initially told her he was 16 but had, when they met, told her his actual age.
Tremblay, who is a father-of-two, flew into Dublin on both visits and made his way south to Kerry, where concerns were then raised by locals when they were spotted at a rental accommodation together.
According to Canadian radio station, 630 CHED, Tremblay first claimed he was the child’s father when he was questioned, but later admitted the truth. He was subsequently arrested in another jurisdiction and deported.
When Gardaí kicked off a major joint Irish-Canadian investigation, the teenager was interviewed and after examining all her computers and phone, investigators discovered that Tremblay had been using his real name on social media to contact her.
Explicit sexual images were also discovered, which Tremblay initiated.
Under Canadian law, citizens and permanent residents can be prosecuted for certain sexual offences committed against children in other countries and Tremblay pleaded guilty last December to all charges against him.
He is due to be sentenced at the Edmonton Law Courts in Canada today.
