I read in today’s Evening Herald (not available online) that “sources have revealed” that charges are going to be made against “at least” one man, a married scout leader, for having sex with a 14-year-old in the story that broke four months ago, which I wrote about in the 14-year-old on Gaydar. Despite reports at the time that the Gardaí did not believe the incidents were the result of an organized “ring”, the Herald in classic sensationalist style has decided to ignore that and whip up hysteria. It’s a “paedo ring” and a “pervert ring” and they were “grooming” the child.

I despise this sort of reporting because it is prejudicial to those who are accused – implying a conscious malicious intent – when the truth was, reportedly, in at least two incidents where the lad met men, they then (and only then) realised his age, and sent him home. If that is true, then they must have been unaware of his true age before they met him. This lad was looking for sex on Gaydar, pretending he was 18. This point needs to be made clear in media reports. If this essential piece of information is ignored in press coverage, it whips up the complexities of the story into one poisonous scapegoating dust storm, at the grave expense of the truth. And without truth, there cannot be justice.