A PROMINENT SPORTS journalist and author is to be sentenced next month for the sexual exploitation and defilement of a child.

Tom Humphries (54) of Corr Castle, Sutton, Dublin pleaded guilty last March to six sexual offences against a girl under the age of 17.

He could not be publicly named on that date because he was facing trial for further sexual offences.

This morning those charges were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Humphries, a former Irish Times journalist, was present in court for the short hearing.

Last March he pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of defilement of a child in Dublin between December 5th 2010 and February 19th 2011 and four counts of inviting a child to participate in a sexually explicit, obscene or indecent act between January 2010 and March 2011.

This morning prosecuting counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, told Judge Karen O’Connor that the State is entering a “nolle prosequi” on three further charges involving a separate girl, meaning the charges are not being proceeded with.

Hugh Harnett SC, defending, requested that a sentence date be fixed for late next month before the court’s summer recess.

He said the sentence hearing will take half a day.

Mr Hartnett requested that his client be excused from further case management dates for health reasons. The judge refused this application after an objection from Mr Costelloe.

Judge O’Connor adjourned the matter until later today when she will fix a sentence date.

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