Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Tom Humphries: Guilty of child abuse

  • 26-06-2017 11:20pm
    #1
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,688 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    The former Irish Times sportwriter pleaded guilty to grooming a young child who was a friend of his daughters. He had naked pics of the child on his phone who found it and showed it to her mother who called the Gardai.

    Its hard to believe his initial arrest (and the media blackout of naming him) has been ongoing since 2011. But here we are 6 years later and he has admitted his guilt. Sentencing to take place next month.

    A great writer in his day but heres hoping he gets locked up for a long time for what he did to that poor girl.


«134567…18

Comments

  • #2
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    He name was leaked almost immediately


  • #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    He was a brilliant writer.

    But meh, it's irrelevant now. That's obscene and depraved. In fact his place in Irish society and his fame should see an extended sentence because the power imbalance was even more pronounced.


  • #4
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    suicide_circus wrote: »
    He name was leaked almost immediately

    What age was she ?
    Some sources are saying 14 some 15
    That's young enough that I hope he rots in prison


  • #5
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,477 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Tigger wrote: »
    What age was she ?

    Irish times says "young teens" at the time


  • #6
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,477 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Jaysus
    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/we-must-bite-the-bullet-on-abuse-1.136280


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Irish times says "young teens" at the time

    Yeah I had a quick google 14 and 15 are mentioned elsewhere so probably just turned 15
    The law is the law but the younger the worse in my opinion
    Also she was a gaa player so he was in a position of power basically


  • #8
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Jaysus
    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/we-must-bite-the-bullet-on-abuse-1.136280

    That will be taken down soon I'd say
    Any of ye young people know how to operate the twitter machine !?


  • #9
    Arghus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,627 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Jaysus
    https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/we-must-bite-the-bullet-on-abuse-1.136280

    Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.


  • #10
    Tigger
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,705 ✭✭✭✭Tigger


    Arghus wrote: »
    Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.

    Strikes me he though everyone was doing it so he'd have a go


  • #11
    RandomName2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,570 ✭✭✭RandomName2


    Tigger wrote: »
    What age was she ?
    Some sources are saying 14 some 15
    That's young enough that I hope he rots in prison

    Just curious, do you feel the same way about Emanuel Macron's wife?


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    vicwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭vicwatson


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    The former Irish Times sportwriter pleaded guilty to grooming a young child who was a friend of his daughters. He had naked pics of the child on his phone who found it and showed it to her mother who called the Gardai.

    Its hard to believe his initial arrest (and the media blackout of naming him) has been ongoing since 2011. But here we are 6 years later and he has admitted his guilt. Sentencing to take place next month.

    A great writer in his day but heres hoping he gets locked up for a long time for what he did to that poor girl.

    Indeed, Today fm wouldn't even mention his name at 10.00 bulletin this morning, when it was already publicised widely:rolleyes:


  • #13
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,477 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Tigger wrote: »
    That will be taken down soon I'd say
    Any of ye young people know how to operate the twitter machine !?

    IMG_0188.png
    IMG_0189.png
    IMG_0190.png
    IMG_0191.png
    IMG_0192.png


  • #14
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    Sweet Jesus lads will I get the firelighters and some stakes.


  • #15
    The Rape of Lucretia
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,440 ✭✭✭The Rape of Lucretia


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    Sweet Jesus lads will I get the firelighters and some stakes.

    Barbecue weather is over man.


  • #16
    maudgonner
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭maudgonner


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    Sweet Jesus lads will I get the firelighters and some stakes.

    What a strange comment. Do you think he's being persecuted?


  • #17
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    maudgonner wrote: »
    What a strange comment. Do you think he's being persecuted?

    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.


  • #18
    nelly17
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭nelly17


    One things for sure that article is how I will remember him for the rest of my days - and not in a good way


  • #19
    riffmongous
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,812 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    I'm a bit confused, is there a source on 'young teens' or 'young child'. Both are bad of course, but there is a difference there,he would technically not be a paedo if she was a teenager.


  • #20
    eviltwin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.

    14/15 isn't a child but its still a young teen, at that age you are emotionally immature. We don't know the history here, was he blackmailing her to send photos or was he coercing her and she thought she was in love but either way he's abused that girl and his family and he deserves to go to prison for it. Boredom doesn't come into it, he could have found anyone over the age of consent to have fun with.


  • #21
    nelly17
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,210 ✭✭✭nelly17


    riffmongous wrote: »
    I'm a bit confused, is there a source on 'young teens' or 'young child'. Both are bad of course, but there is a difference there,he would technically not be a paedo if she was a teenager.

    But the law doesn't see it that way so 'technically' he is or am I missing something?


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.

    There are so many genuinely concerning statements in this post that it's hard to believe you're serious.

    I don't think he should rot, but he is a middle aged+ man who preyed on a child and subjected them to repeated abuse. The child didn't have to be held down and threatened at knifepoint to feel powerless in the face of this adult abusing them. It doesn't mean they weren't forced.

    Calling it a mistake made by a bored idiot is just incredibly minimizing, and really really dismissive of the life changing effects this kind of abuse can have on a victim.

    Oh, and those countries with low consent ages are mostly so that children who experiment with other children aren't criminalized for it, it's not to protect predatory adults.

    Pretty sickening stuff, really.


  • #23
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.

    Why didnt he fcuk off to france and do it so??


    In reality is any different to the messing muslims over in england got upto??


  • #24
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    It's an area of change, no doubt. Viewed in the broader, as my son said today, a lot of the 70's famous and revered names would have had relationships with many teenage girls, certainly under 16.

    I think child paedo is a different category.


  • #25
    BelovedAunt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 803 ✭✭✭BelovedAunt


    nelly17 wrote: »
    But the law doesn't see it that way so 'technically' he is or am I missing something?

    A paedophile is attracted to prepubescent children. If she was 14 or 15 she was already well into puberty, so technically he isn't a paedophile.


  • #26
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    eviltwin wrote: »
    14/15 isn't a child but its still a young teen, at that age you are emotionally immature.


    I was definitely a child at 14/15, no question. I was not equipped to deal with a predatory adult in any way and I wasn't precocious as is sometimes assumed with teen girls in these situations.


  • #27
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    Water John wrote: »
    It's an area of change, no doubt. Viewed in the broader, as my son said today, a lot of the 70's famous and revered names would have had relationships with many teenage girls, certainly under 16.

    I think child paedo is a different category.

    Tbh if it was middle aged next door neighbour abusing my younger cousins like this


    I wouldnt be using the actics of jimmy saville to justify it


  • #28
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Totally accept what you say Candie. It isn't paedo though, it is a sexual crime of an adult on a minor.

    BTW, I'm not referring to JS but what are still revered musicians etc.


  • #29
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Water John wrote: »
    It's an area of change, no doubt. Viewed in the broader, as my son said today, a lot of the 70's famous and revered names would have had relationships with many teenage girls, certainly under 16.

    I think child paedo is a different category.

    That would have been better phrased if you'd said 'A lot of the '70's famous and revered names exploited many teenage girls'

    Adults don't have 'relationships' with teenagers, they exploit the emotional immaturity and inexperience of them to take advantage.

    And teenagers are still kids. There isn't a magic switch that makes the power imbalance okay the moment a kid turns 16 or 17. At best, it's sleazy and at worse it's plain, old, commonplace child abuse.


  • #30
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Water John wrote: »
    Totally accept what you say Candie. It isn't paedo though, it is a sexual crime of an adult on a minor.

    BTW, I'm not referring to JS but what are still revered musicians etc.

    I didn't refer to him as a pedo. He is a child abuser.


  • Advertisement
  • #31
    humberklog
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,580 Mod ✭✭✭✭humberklog


    At one point in this story a 2nd girl was mentioned but that case was dropped. The parents didn't want to proceed apparently.


  • #32
    twill
    Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭twill


    I would imagine the case is being regarded as particularly severe because he groomed the girl. It's the act of a predator.


  • #33
    Richmond Ultra
    Registered Users Posts: 457 ✭✭Richmond Ultra


    Was it the Croke Park incident dropped today by the state?


  • #34
    Water John
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,808 ✭✭✭✭Water John


    Fully accept and agree Candie.
    The only point I am trying to make, badly it seems, is that they are a bit different, both being crimes.
    Both groups deserve the full defence of the law and society.


  • #35
    eviltwin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    Candie wrote: »
    I was definitely a child at 14/15, no question. I was not equipped to deal with a predatory adult in any way and I wasn't precocious as is sometimes assumed with teen girls in these situations.

    I don't think you can say that about all teens though. I was very mature for my age and actually was sexually active before the age of consent with my boyfriend who was over the age of consent. Technically he was breaking the law but I wasn't being abused. So I don't like to assume all young teens engaging in sexual activity are victims. However, I think a grown man having sexual relations with a girl this young is vile, there is abuse there either by force or coercion.


  • #36
    suicide_circus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,802 ✭✭✭✭suicide_circus


    Ephebophilia is the attraction to mid aged teenagers but it's not classed as a disorder for obvious reasons. Acting on it is the crime.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    chicorytip
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,163 ✭✭✭chicorytip


    drunkmonkey wrote:
    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.


    The exact circumstances and detail of what occurred are not yet known but he has pleaded guilty to six charges of defilement of a minor (child). It's not unsafe to assume that penile penetration took place and that the victim may have been plied with alcohol. So, how could this be described as anything other than statutory rape.


  • #38
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 26,052 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    eviltwin wrote: »
    I don't think you can say that about all teens though. I was very mature for my age and actually was sexually active before the age of consent with my boyfriend who was over the age of consent. Technically he was breaking the law but I wasn't being abused. So I don't like to assume all young teens engaging in sexual activity are victims. However, I think a grown man having sexual relations with a girl this young is vile, there is abuse there either by force or coercion.

    My point was that you can't say teenagers aren't children, some are. I was, you were obviously more developed than I was in at least some ways. They're legally children and while some of them might be sophisticated enough for their years, lots aren't.


  • #39
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    chicorytip wrote: »
    The exact circumstances and detail of what occurred are not yet known but he has pleaded guilty to six charges of defilement of a minor (child). It's not unsafe to assume that penile penetration took place and that the victim may have been plied with alcohol. So, how could this be described as anything other than statutory rape.

    As you said we don't have the detail. Probably will never have.

    There's loads of assumptions being throw out like your assumption she was plyed with drink and took the D (why are ye making up such stuff it's not based on any fact).

    It's quite possible he might not have been leading the dance. The photos were found and the whole **** house exploded.

    Someone mentioned the President of France earlier, Elvis also deserves a special mention as he fell in love with someone at the younger of the girls mooted age.

    He's not a pedo or a child abuser, he got in a mess with a young lady not of legal age. I don't buy all 15yr olds are dumb regardless of the poster who say they were dumb at 15.

    The asssumptions are vile to be honest. It's not healthy to be running those scenarios around your head based on nothing only your own thoughts.


  • #40
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    A brilliant, utterly brilliant writer. He opened up worlds on that newspaper and was responsible for raising the standard of the entire sports department.

    As far as I see it if the man got 10 months or 10 years it's incidental. In our tiny society, his life is over. To have had so much respect, to have lost it all, and to face into every single day of the rest of your life conscious of that. Dead man walking. There are things we can all recover from - bankruptcy, addiction, broken marriage, cancer, etc - and then there is this. The man's name is worse than mud. You don't come back from this, ever. His life sentence began in 2011, and it won't end when he's physically released. Try live a day of your life without hope. Now try and find hope for this person's life after this. Nothing to gloat about here. Deeply saddening. Aside from the obvious destruction of two families, what an awful, awful waste.


  • #41
    retro:electro
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,039 ✭✭✭✭retro:electro


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    No but he doesn't deserve to rot to death, he made a mistake. We call it abuse but it's perfectly legal in France and very close to it an hour from Dublin. I think calling it child abuse is a bit of a stretch, I didn't read anywhere she was forced. American Beauty springs to mind. I think he was a bored idiot. Maybe there's more that I missed.

    Oh Jesus. It's abuse. Whether she's 14/15 or 10 or younger. She's a child in the eyes of the state. The circumstances of him having the pics don't matter. Whether she was coerced into sending them or obliged him doesn't matter. She was still abused. And then to top off your awful comments you compare this scenario to a Hollywood comedy- drama.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    twill
    Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭twill


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    As you said we don't have the detail. Probably will never have.
    Irish Times wrote:
    Former Irish Times sports journalist Tom Humphries faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced shortly for grooming and engaging in sexual acts with a child.
    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    There's loads of assumptions being throw out like your assumption she was plyed with drink and took the D (why are ye making up such stuff it's not based on any fact).

    It's quite possible he might not have been leading the dance. The photos were found and the whole **** house exploded.
    Irish Times wrote:
    Former Irish Times sports journalist Tom Humphries faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced shortly for grooming and engaging in sexual acts with a child.
    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    Someone mentioned the President of France earlier, Elvis also deserves a special mention as he fell in love with someone at the younger of the girls mooted age.

    He's not a pedo or a child abuser, he got in a mess with a young lady not of legal age. I don't buy all 15yr olds are dumb regardless of the poster who say they were dumb at 15.

    The asssumptions are vile to be honest. It's not healthy to be running those scenarios around your head based on nothing only your own thoughts.
    Irish Times wrote:
    Former Irish Times sports journalist Tom Humphries faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced shortly for grooming and engaging in sexual acts with a child.
    Source


  • #43
    Jim Bob Scratcher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,231 ✭✭✭Jim Bob Scratcher


    I wonder would there be such anger if the sexes were reversed ? I highly doubt it.


  • #44
    Arghus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,627 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »
    I wonder would there be such anger if the sexes were reversed ? I highly doubt it.

    Give it a break.


  • #45
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »
    I wonder would there be such anger if the sexes were reversed ? I highly doubt it.

    Francis and Leo now that would raise a few eyebrows.


  • #46
    tomwaterford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,768 ✭✭✭✭tomwaterford


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    As you said we don't have the detail. Probably will never have.

    There's loads of assumptions being throw out like your assumption she was plyed with drink and took the D (why are ye making up such stuff it's not based on any fact).

    It's quite possible he might not have been leading the dance. The photos were found and the whole **** house exploded.

    Someone mentioned the President of France earlier, Elvis also deserves a special mention as he fell in love with someone at the younger of the girls mooted age.

    He's not a pedo or a child abuser, he got in a mess with a young lady not of legal age. I don't buy all 15yr olds are dumb regardless of the poster who say they were dumb at 15.

    The asssumptions are vile to be honest. It's not healthy to be running those scenarios around your head based on nothing only your own thoughts.

    Why did he not delete the photos/block her number??
    Circumvent all this by telling her parents??


    To suggest hes an innocent bystander is at playing with the truth/spinning a yarn he isnt even attempting to



    Sharing over 10,000 msgs with a child is far beyond what is reasonable


  • #47
    Grady Boyd
    Closed Accounts Posts: 40 ✭Grady Boyd


    Poor lad should have kept his burner phone well hidden


  • #48
    humberklog
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 10,580 Mod ✭✭✭✭humberklog


    Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »
    I wonder would there be such anger if the sexes were reversed ? I highly doubt it.

    Anger? I don't get that from this story, not even on this thread. Can you link to clear signs of "anger" against TH in this case?

    Don't get me wrong- there probably is somewhere but I haven't seen it. Could you point in the direction that you've seen it?


  • #49
    Jim Bob Scratcher
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,231 ✭✭✭Jim Bob Scratcher


    humberklog wrote: »
    Anger? I don't get that from this story, not even on this thread. Can you link to clear signs of "anger" against TH in this case?

    Don't get me wrong- there probably is somewhere but I haven't seen it. Could you point in the direction that you've seen it?

    No need to over scrutinize my post, I was merely making a point if it was a middle aged woman and a teenage boy there wouldn't even be a thread about it on here.


  • #50
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,330 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    tomwaterford wrote: »
    Why did he delete the photos/block her number??
    Circumvent all this by telling her parents??


    To suggest hes an innocent bystander is at playing with the truth/spinning a yarn he isnt even attempting to

    Why did he have to block her number? I've seen girls with infatuations, I'm just saying it's possible he was weak and possibly not a monster. I think to stand up and tell the truth would be a lot harder than putting your hands up in this situation and probably do him no good.

    Look I'm with you he broke the law and he abused a position of trust, as a parent I'd like the skin him as a man though I can see the complexity of the situation.


  • #51
    Arghus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,627 ✭✭✭✭Arghus


    Jim Bob Scratcher wrote: »
    No need to over scrutinize my post, I was merely making a point if it was a middle aged woman and a teenage boy there wouldn't even be a thread about it on here.

    If it was a former famous female journalist, you'd bet there would be!


  • Advertisement
Advertisement