Latest news with #Linehan
The Journal
27-06-2025
- The Journal
Pensioner having sexualised conversations with young girls caught by sting operation
A 70-YEAR-OLD man was caught in a sting operation after he had sexualised conversations with parties he believed were 11-12 year old girls, a court has heard. Patrick (Pat) Linehan, previously of Comeragh Park, the Glen, Cork last month pleaded guilty to using technology to interact with children for the purpose of sexual exploitation. He also admitted arranging to meet a child for the purpose of sexual assault. Dt Garda Brendan Murray told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that on 8 July, 2023 gardaí were made aware of an incident at Comeragh Park on the northside of Cork city. 'On attending this address, they met with the accused, who was in the company of a number of people who purported to be members of an organisation called Child Online Protection Enforcers. 'A member of this group handed gardaí two USB storage devices which, he stated, contained sexualised conversations between the accused and two female children aged 11 and 12 years.' Dt Garda Murray was informed that these girls did not exist. He stated that instead their profiles were generated and controlled by adults posing as children. Dt Garda Murray told Judge Helen Boyle that when Mr Linehan was interviewed he admitted he had been in contact with two girls. He said that Mr Linehan acknowledged that he was aware that girls were 11 and 12 years of age. 'He (Linehan) later stated he thought the 12 year old was 15 or 16 as (he said) she sounded older from the texts. 'He acknowledged he had sent her images and videos, but stated they were not obscene. He also stated that she had asked to meet with him a few times, but he had never met up with her.' Advertisement Dt Garda Murray said that Mr Linehan described the communications with what he though to be an 11 year old girl as 'harmless fun.' The court heard that gardaí analysed profiles of Facebook and WhatsApp message between Mr Linehan and the decoy profiles of 11 and 12-year-old girls. Dt Garda Murray said that the profile pictures on Facebook and WhatsApp were of young female children who could not be mistaken to be adults. 'In the initial conversations with each of the profiles, Pat Linehan is informed he is communicating with children, and their ages are discussed on a number of occasions throughout the message threads. 'Pat Linehan initially states to both children he is 13 years old, but later, after sending selfie type photos of himself, is challenged and admits he is older, stating he was 62. He was 68 at the time. Dt Garda Murray gave evidence to the effect that Mr Linehan sexualised the conversations very early in the communications with both profiles and described in graphic detail sexual acts he would like to perform on the young girl. 'He asks if they would perform sexual acts on him, to which they reply, questioning if they're allowed to do that, given their ages. Pat Linehan suggests nobody would know, that it would be a secret. He sent images of his penis to both girls, and he sent videos of a sexual nature to the profile of the 11-year-old girl. 'The message thread to both girls, began on 19 June 2023 and continued for a number of weeks, concluding on 8 July.' Defence counsel Ronan Barnes, BL, indicated that his client worked for Cork County Council for over thirty years. He added that he had 'an exemplary work record.' Sentencing will be finalised on 1 July. Mr Linehan remains in custody pending the court hearing next week.
Irish Daily Mirror
27-06-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man, 70, caught in sting op having X-rated chats with 'fake' girls aged 11 & 12
A 70-year-old man was caught in a sting operation after he had sexualised conversations with parties he believed were 11 and 12-year-old girls, a court has heard. Patrick (Pat) Linehan, previously of Comeragh Park, the Glen, Cork, last month pleaded guilty to using technology to interact with children for the purpose of sexual exploitation. He also admitted arranging to meet a child for the purpose of sexual assault. Detective Garda Brendan Murray told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that on July 8, 2023, Gardaí were made aware of an incident at Comeragh Park on the northside of Cork city. 'On attending this address, they met with the accused, who was in the company of a number of people who purported to be members of an organisation called Child Online Protection Enforcers. 'A member of this group handed Gardaí two USB storage devices which, he stated, contained sexualised conversations between the accused and two female children aged 11 and 12 years.' Detective Garda Murray was informed that these girls did not exist. He stated that, instead, their profiles were generated by and controlled by adults posing as children. Detective Garda Murray told Judge Helen Boyle that when Mr Linehan was interviewed, he admitted he had been in contact with two girls. He said that Mr Linehan acknowledged that he was aware that the girls were 11 and 12 years of age. 'He (Linehan) later stated he thought the 12-year-old was 15 or 16 as (he said) she sounded older from the texts. 'He acknowledged he had sent her images and videos, but stated they were not obscene. He also stated that she had asked to meet with him a few times, but he had never met up with her.' Detective Garda Murray said that Mr Linehan described the communications with what he thought to be an 11-year-old girl as 'harmless fun'. The court heard that Gardaí analysed profiles of Facebook and WhatsApp messages between Mr Linehan and the decoy profiles of 11 and 12-year-old females. Detective Garda Murray said that the profile pictures on Facebook and WhatsApp were of young female children who could not be mistaken to be adults. 'In the initial conversations with each of the profiles, Pat Linehan is informed he is communicating with children, and their ages are discussed on a number of occasions throughout the message threads. 'Pat Linehan initially states to both children he is 13 years old, but later, after sending selfie-type photos of himself, is challenged and admits he is older, stating he was 62 (he was 68 at the time). Detective Garda Murray gave evidence to the effect that Mr Linehan sexualised the conversations very early in the communications with both profiles and described, in graphic detail, sexual acts he would like to perform on the young girl. 'He asks if they would perform sexual acts on him, to which they reply, questioning if they're allowed to do that, given their ages. Pat Linehan suggests nobody would know, that it would be a secret. He sent images of his penis to both girls, and he sent videos of a sexual nature to the profile of the 11-year-old girl. "The message thread to both girls began on June 19, 2023 and continued for a number of weeks, concluding on July 8, 2023.' Defence counsel Ronan Barnes, BL, indicated that his client worked for Cork County Council for over 30 years. He added that he had 'an exemplary work record'. Sentencing will be finalised on July 1. Mr Linehan remains in custody pending the court hearing next week. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Examiner
27-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Sentencing adjourned for Cork man who tried to sexually exploit what he thought were young girls
WARNING: Some readers may find the following report upsetting A man caught in an online sting operation having sexualised conversations with people he believed were 11- and 12-year-old girls has had his sentencing adjourned. Patrick Linehan, aged 70, pleaded guilty to criminal charges arising out of the sting and he has been remanded in custody for sentencing on July 1. Mr Linehan, a former Cork City Council employee, admitted using information technology to interact with children for the purpose of sexual exploitation and arranging to meet a child for the purpose of sexual assault. 'Pat Linehan sexualized the conversations very early in the communications with both profiles and describes in graphic detail sexual acts he would like to perform on the young girls,' Detective Garda Brendan Murray told Cork Circuit Court. He asks if they would perform sexual acts on him, to which they reply, questioning if they're allowed to do that, given their ages, Pat Linehan suggests nobody would know, that it would be a secret. 'He sent images of his penis to both girls, and he sent videos of a sexual nature to the profile of the 11-year-old girl. The message thread to both girls, began on the June 19, 2023, and continued for a number of weeks, concluding on the July 8 2023.' Mr Linehan had described the communications with a person he believed was an 11-year-old girl as "harmless fun", the court heard. Gardaí were called to Comeragh Park, the Glen, in the north side of Cork City on July 8, 2023, where they met with the accused who was in the company of a number of people who purported to be members of an organization called Child Online Protection Enforcers. 'A member of this group handed gardaí two USB storage devices which, he stated, contained sexualized conversations between the accused and two female children aged 11 and 12 years,' Det. Gda Murray said. 'It was confirmed to gardaí that these girls did not exist, but their profiles were generated by and controlled by adults posing as children.' When interviewed by gardaí, Mr Linehan admitted he had been in contact with two girls and acknowledged he was aware the girls really were 11 and 12 years of age, Det. Gda Murray said. He later stated he thought the 12-year-old was 15 or 16 as she sounded older from the texts. 'He acknowledged he had sent her images and videos, but stated they were not obscene,' Det. Gda Murray said. He also stated that she had asked to meet with him a few times, but he had never met up with her. He described the communications with the 11-year-old girl as harmless fun. 'During the investigation, gardai analysed Facebook messages and WhatsApp messages between Pat Linehan and the decoy profiles of an 11 and 12-year female. The Facebook profile pictures of both profiles are of young female children who could not be mistaken to be adults. 'In the initial conversations with each of the profiles, Pat Linehan is informed he is communicating with children, and their ages are discussed on a number of occasions throughout the message threads. 'Pat Linehan initially states to both children he is 13 years old, but later, after sending selfie-type photos of himself, is challenged and admits he is older, stating he was 62. (He was 68 at the time).' Defence barrister Ronan Barnes previously said the accused pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and co-operated with the gardaí. He said the defendant had an exemplary work record with Cork City Council, where he worked for 31 years in drainage. Judge Boyle previously agreed to adjourn the case to obtain a Probation and Welfare Report and a GP report but indicated that she would be dealing with it by way of a custodial sentence. The case was adjourned until Judge Helen Boyle, who has been hearing the case, returns. - If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services. Read More Cork man had sexualised conversations with what he thought were girls aged 11 and 12
CNBC
16-06-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Welcome to the zoo. That'll be $47 today — ask again tomorrow.
How much will it cost to visit a museum, zoo or aquarium this summer? The answer, increasingly, is: It depends. John Linehan can rattle off almost two dozen factors that Zoo New England's dynamic pricing contractor, Digonex, uses to recommend what to charge guests. "It's complicated," said Linehan, president and CEO of the operator of the two zoos in eastern Massachusetts. Before adopting dynamic pricing, the organization was changing prices seasonally and increasing entry rates little by little. "As we watched that pattern, we were afraid some families were going to get priced out," he said of the earlier approach. "I'm a father of four and I know what it is like." Now, Zoo New England's system provides cheaper rates for tickets purchased far in advance. That, coupled with the zoo's participation in the Mass Cultural Council's discounted admissions program for low-income and working families, "puts some control back in the consumer's hands," Linehan said. The zoo is one of many attractions embracing pricing systems that were earlier pioneered by airlines, ride-hailing apps and theme parks. While these practices allow operators to lower prices when demand is soft, they also enable the reverse, threatening to squeeze consumers who are increasingly trimming their summer travel budgets. Before the pandemic, less than 1% of attractions surveyed by Arival, a tourism market research and events firm, used variable or dynamic pricing. Today, 17% use variable pricing, in which entry fees are adjusted based on predictable factors such as the day of the week or the season, Arival said. And 6% use dynamic pricing, in which historical and real-time data on weather, staffing, demand patterns and more influence rates. The changes come as barely half of U.S. museums, zoos, science centers and similar institutions have fully recovered to their pre-Covid attendance levels, according to the American Alliance of Museums. That has led many to pursue novel ways of filling budget gaps and offsetting cost increases. "There's a saying: 'No margin, no mission,'" Linehan said, "and we charge what we need to make ends meet while delivering on our mission." Entry costs are climbing even at attractions that aren't using price-setting technology. The broad "admissions" category in the federal government's Consumer Price Index, which includes museum fees alongside sports and concert tickets, climbed 3.9% in May from the year before, well above the annual 2.4% inflation rate. In 2024, the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium raised adult ticket prices from $59.95 to $65 and recently upped its individual membership rate, which includes year-round admission, from $95 to $125. "Gate admission from ticket sales funds the core operation of the aquarium," a spokesperson said. While the Denver Art Museum has no plans to test dynamic pricing, it raised admissions fees last fall, three years after a $175 million renovation and a survey of ticket prices elsewhere, a spokesperson said. Entry costs went from $18 to $22 for Colorado residents and from $22 to $27 for out-of-state visitors. Prices rise on weekends and during busy times, to $25 and $30 for in- and out-of-state visitors, respectively. Guests under age 19 always get in free thanks to a sponsored program. Like many attractions, the art museum posts these prices on its website. But many attractions' publicly listed ticket prices are liable to fluctuate. The Seattle Aquarium — which raised its price ranges last summer by about $10 ahead of the opening of a new ocean pavilion — also uses Digonex's algorithmic recommendations. During the week of June 8, for example, the aquarium's online visit planner, which displays the relative ticket availability for each day, offered out-of-state adult admissions as low as $37.95 for dates later in the month and as much as $46.95 for walk-in tickets that week. In addition to booking in advance, there are more than half a dozen other discounts available to certain guests, including seniors and tribal and military members, a spokesperson noted. At many attractions, however, admission fees aren't even provided until a guest enters the specific day and time they want to visit — making it difficult to know that lower prices may be available at another time. "Some attractions are doing a daily analysis of their bookings over the next several days or weeks and making adjustments" to prices continuously, said Arival CEO Douglas Quinby. Prices might rise quietly on a day when slots are filling up and dip when tickets don't seem to be moving, he said. Digonex, which says it provides automated dynamic pricing services to more than 70 attractions worldwide, offers recommendations as frequently as daily. It's up to clients to decide how and whether to implement them, a spokesperson said. Each algorithm is tailored to organizations' goals and can account for everything from weather to capacity constraints and even Google Analytics search patterns. Data-driven pricing can be "a financial win for both the public and the museum," said Elizabeth Merritt, vice president of strategic foresight at the American Alliance of Museums. It can reduce overcrowding, she said, while steering budget-minded guests toward dates that are both cheaper and less busy. But steeper prices during peak periods and for short-notice visits could rankle guests — who may see anything less than a top-notch experience as a rip-off, said Stephen Pratt, a professor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management who studies tourism. "Because of the higher prices, you want an experience that's really great," he said, transforming a low-key day at the zoo into a big-ticket, high-stakes outing. "You've invested this money into family time, into creating memories, and you don't want any service mishaps." That could raise the risk of blowback at many attractions, especially those grappling with Trump administration cuts this summer. Some historic sites and national parks have already warned that their operations are under pressure. Consumers should expect more price complexity to come. Arival said 16% of attractions ranked implementing dynamic pricing as a top priority for 2025-26. Among large attractions serving at least half a million guests annually, 37% are prioritizing dynamic pricing, up from the 12% that use it currently. For visitors, that could mean hunting harder for cheaper tickets. While many museums are free year-round, others provide lower rates for off-season visits and those booked in advance. It's also common to reduce or waive fees on certain days or hours, and many kids and seniors can often get discounted entry. Here are a few other ways to keep admissions costs low: "It may take a bit of research," said Quinby, "but it's still possible to find a good deal."
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Welcome to the zoo. That'll be $47 today — ask again tomorrow.
How much will it cost to visit a museum, zoo or aquarium this summer? The answer, increasingly, is: It depends. John Linehan can rattle off almost two dozen factors that Zoo New England's dynamic pricing contractor, Digonex, uses to recommend what to charge guests. 'It's complicated,' said Linehan, president and CEO of the operator of two zoos in eastern Massachusetts. Before adopting dynamic pricing, the organization was changing prices seasonally and increasing entry rates little by little. 'As we watched that pattern, we were afraid some families were going to get priced out,' he said of the earlier approach. 'I'm a father of four and I know what it is like.' Now, Zoo New England's system provides cheaper rates for tickets purchased far in advance. That, coupled with the zoo's participation in the Mass Cultural Council's discounted admissions program for low-income and working families, 'puts some control back in the consumer's hands,' Linehan said. The zoo is one of many attractions embracing pricing systems that were earlier pioneered by airlines, ride-hailing apps and theme parks. While these practices allow operators to lower prices when demand is soft, they also enable the reverse, threatening to squeeze consumers who are increasingly trimming their summer travel budgets. Before the pandemic, less than 1% of attractions surveyed by Arival, a tourism market research and events firm, used variable or dynamic pricing. Today, 17% use variable pricing, in which entry fees are adjusted based on predictable factors such as the day of the week or the season, Arival said. And 6% use dynamic pricing, in which historical and real-time data on weather, staffing, demand patterns and more influence rates. The changes come as barely half of U.S. museums, zoos, science centers and similar institutions have fully recovered to their pre-Covid attendance levels, according to the American Alliance of Museums. That has led many to pursue novel ways of filling budget gaps and offsetting cost increases. 'There's a saying: 'No margin, no mission,'' Linehan said, 'and we charge what we need to make ends meet while delivering on our mission.' Entry costs are climbing even at attractions that aren't using price-setting technology. The broad 'admissions' category in the federal government's Consumer Price Index, which includes museum fees alongside sports and concert tickets, climbed 3.9% in May from the year before, well above the annual 2.4% inflation rate. In 2024, the nonprofit Monterey Bay Aquarium raised adult ticket prices from $59.95 to $65 and recently upped its individual membership rate, which includes year-round admission, from $95 to $125. 'Gate admission from ticket sales funds the core operation of the aquarium,' a spokesperson said. While the Denver Art Museum has no plans to test dynamic pricing, it raised admissions fees last fall, three years after a $175 million renovation and a survey of ticket prices elsewhere, a spokesperson said. Entry costs went from $18 to $22 for Colorado residents and from $22 to $27 for out-of-state visitors. Prices rise on weekends and during busy times, to $25 and $30 for in- and out-of-state visitors, respectively. Guests under age 19 always get in free thanks to a sponsored program. Like many attractions, the art museum posts these prices on its website. But many attractions' publicly listed ticket prices are liable to fluctuate. The Seattle Aquarium — which raised its price ranges last summer by about $10 ahead of the opening of a new ocean pavilion — also uses Digonex's algorithmic recommendations. During the week of June 8, for example, the aquarium's online visit planner, which displays the relative ticket availability for each day, offered out-of-state adult admissions as low as $37.95 for dates later in the month and as much as $46.95 for walk-in tickets that week. In addition to booking in advance, there are more than half a dozen other discounts available to certain guests, including seniors and tribal and military members, a spokesperson noted. At many attractions, however, admission fees aren't even provided until a guest enters the specific day and time they want to visit — making it difficult to know that lower prices may be available at another time. 'Some attractions are doing a daily analysis of their bookings over the next several days or weeks and making adjustments' to prices continuously, said Arival CEO Douglas Quinby. Prices might rise quietly on a day when slots are filling up and dip when tickets don't seem to be moving, he said. Digonex, which says it provides automated dynamic pricing services to more than 70 attractions worldwide, offers recommendations as frequently as daily. It's up to clients to decide how and whether to implement them, a spokesperson said. Each algorithm is tailored to organizations' goals and can account for everything from weather to capacity constraints and even Google Analytics search patterns. Data-driven pricing can be 'a financial win for both the public and the museum,' said Elizabeth Merritt, vice president of strategic foresight at the American Alliance of Museums. It can reduce overcrowding, she said, while steering budget-minded guests toward dates that are both cheaper and less busy. But steeper prices during peak periods and for short-notice visits could rankle guests — who may see anything less than a top-notch experience as a rip-off, said Stephen Pratt, a professor at the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality Management who studies tourism. 'Because of the higher prices, you want an experience that's really great,' he said, transforming a low-key day at the zoo into a big-ticket, high-stakes outing. 'You've invested this money into family time, into creating memories, and you don't want any service mishaps.' That could raise the risk of blowback at many attractions, especially those grappling with Trump administration cuts this summer. Some historic sites and national parks have already warned that their operations are under pressure. Consumers should expect more price complexity to come. Arival said 16% of attractions ranked implementing dynamic pricing as a top priority for 2025-26. Among large attractions serving at least half a million guests annually, 37% are prioritizing dynamic pricing, up from the 12% that use it currently. For visitors, that could mean hunting harder for cheaper tickets. While many museums are free year-round, others provide lower rates for off-season visits and those booked in advance. It's also common to reduce or waive fees on certain days or hours, and many kids and seniors can often get discounted entry. Here are a few other ways to keep admissions costs low: 'It may take a bit of research,' said Quinby, 'but it's still possible to find a good deal.' This article was originally published on
