REMILEKUN THOMAS SHOCKS DUBLIN WITH CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Dublin, a woman named Remilekun Thomas has been sentenced to prison for her involvement in the sexual exploitation of a young girl.The incident, which took place in various locations across Dublin, came to light after the victim's mother discovered the troubling activities and alerted authorities.
Remilekun Thomas, aged 39 and originally from Nigeria, formerly resided in Fortlawn Park, Blanchardstown, in the western part of Dublin.
She pleaded guilty to two serious charges of using a child for sexual exploitation, which occurred at different locations within Dublin between May 1 and May 31, 2008.
The court heard that Thomas was involved in arranging and facilitating sexual encounters between a 15-year-old girl and a 64-year-old man, who was later found to have taken his own life shortly after police began investigating the allegations.
The court was informed that the man paid the girl €50 on at least six separate occasions for full sexual intercourse.
These encounters took place both at his residence and at another undisclosed location within Dublin.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Thomas collected the money from the girl each time, only returning €10 on one occasion, and accepting €100 from the man, which she kept in full.
The relationship between Thomas and the girl began in September 2007, when the girl, then in her third year of secondary school and dressed in her school uniform, visited Thomas’s home.
During this initial meeting, the girl disclosed her age to Thomas, stating she was 15.
The court was told that in May 2008, Thomas was working as a prostitute, with the deceased man as her client.
It was during this period that the man asked Thomas to find another girl for him to have sex with, without specifying her age.
Nigerian-born Thomas then instructed the teenager to meet the man, promising to 'take care of her,' which was understood to mean that she would have sex with him.
The meetings continued until the girl’s mother became aware of the situation and reported it to the police.
Following the report, Thomas was arrested initially on suspicion of organizing prostitution.
Detective Garda John Small testified that the deceased man admitted to meeting the girl multiple times and paying her between €50 and €100 each time for sex.
During the court proceedings, the defense lawyer, Kenneth C Fogarty, explained that Thomas was a Nigerian national who had been living legally in Ireland since 2000.
He stated that she was a mother of three children born in Ireland and that she had held various jobs over the years.
However, he also revealed that from 2005 onwards, Thomas developed a serious addiction to cocaine and crack cocaine, which led her to perform sexual acts for money as a means to sustain her drug habit.
Thomas addressed the court directly, expressing remorse for her actions.
She pleaded for mercy, stating, “I’m sorry for everything I’ve caused.
I’m trying to fix my habit.
I’m sorry for the shame I have caused the family of the victim.” Initially, Thomas had pleaded guilty earlier in the year, but she attempted to change her plea in May, a request that was ultimately rejected by the court.
The judge, Patrick McCartan, noted that the victim came from a stable family background, which added to the gravity of the case.
He described Thomas’s crimes as “particularly disturbing,” especially considering her role as a mother.
In sentencing, Judge McCartan imposed a total of four years’ imprisonment on each count, but he suspended the last two years, taking into account that Thomas had no prior criminal record and had not been in trouble with the Gardaí before.
The case has left a lasting impact on the Dublin community, highlighting the ongoing issues of child exploitation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement.
