Breaking news, Tom Humphries journalist, Tom Humphries Irish Times, Tom Humphries questioned, sex crime

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Breaking news, Tom Humphries journalist, Tom Humphries Irish Times, Tom Humphries questioned, sex crimeA TOP sports journalist accused of paedophile activity with a 14-year-old girl has been arrested, the Irish Observer who has been following this story can reveal. Irish Times journalist Tom Humphries was detained by gardai on Saturday, September 29, on suspicion of sex crimes with at least one child. He was quizzed by detectives from Ballymun Garda station in Dublin, who are investigating a complaint that he engaged in paedophile activity with a female child who played in a camogie team that Humphries mentored.Humphries' estranged wife called in gardai in April 2011 after the couple's teenage daughter found text messages allegedly of a sexual nature on an old phone belonging to her dad. The text messages were between Humphries and a child pal of his daughter's and it is understood that a number of picture messages were also found on the phone. Humphries is in his late 40s and has mentored hundreds of youngsters during his years as a well-regarded camogie coach.SeriousThe female child and alleged victim was interviewed by gardai and gave a full statement. Gardai have possession of the phone once owned by Humphries and it will form an important part of any potential future prosecution against him.When the disturbing allegations emerged, Humphries had what sources say was a "serious breakdown" and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. He was hospitalised before gardai could put the allegations to him and during the nine months he spent in the institution a second child came forward and alleged that Humphries had "paedophile contact" with her. Humphries had a heart attack in July 2011, but recovered and was released last December. However, Humphries was not too ill to release a press statement alleging that the Gardai had briefed the media about the paedophile allegations against him, however, this was a grievous lie as it was parents concerned about their children who had contacted the media.However, attempts by gardai to interview him were frustrated because his doctors said he was too ill to meet with them and was in a very vulnerable mental state. A significant move in the investigation occurred late last month when detectives were finally given the green light to quiz him. He was arrested in north Dublin last Saturday morning and was questioned about the allegations, which could potentially carry a life sentence. He was released without charge the same day, which is normal in such investigations.Detectives are still reviewing material from the interview and will shortly send a file to the DPP in relation to a number of potential criminal charges. Humphries is living by himself in a north-Dublin apartment. He has not returned to the Irish Times, and the Irish Times have been silent on the allegations against their colleague. Gardai raided the offices of the newspaper last year and seized his work computer and sent it to be forensically analysed. Humphries was always quick to take to the soap box about the morals of others and even had the audacity to launch several attacks on sex criminals within the Catholic Church.SpecialistAny paedophile contact with a young child, could result in charges of statutory rape or aggrevated sexual assault, both of which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Although Humphries was a mentor for various underage camogie teams at St Vincent's GAA club in Marino, the alleged victim does not play for the club. Every teenager the father of two came into contact with during his nine years at the club has been interviewed by specialist gardai.