Romanian Man Who Blackmailed Coalisland Teen Given Four Years

A Romanian man who pleaded guilty to blackmailing Coalisland teenager Ronan Hughes has been sentenced to four years in jail.

Julian Enache, 31, also admitted to producing and distributing indecent images of a child.

Ronan died when he was 17 in June 2015 after being blackmailed by Enache.

Under Romanian law Enache will serve three years, meaning he will be released with time served on 29 October, 2019. 
Detective Chief Inspector James Mullen, from PSNI’s Criminal Investigation Branch, said: "This has been a tragic case and, first and foremost, in our minds is the family of Ronan Hughes who have lost a son and a brother. We must never forget that.

"I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Hughes family for the dignity they have shown since their devastating loss, and for their co-operation and patience with our investigation. 

"This has been a complex and protracted investigation over the course of two years, involving a huge effort between PSNI officers who travelled to Romania working closely with our colleagues there, and prosecuting officers in the jurisdiction. 

|I want to pay special thanks to Romanian Police for their work in this investigation, and to Europol and the National Crime Agency for their help. Undoubtedly, the work and partnership between the PSNI, our Romanian police colleagues and each of the agencies is what led to the conviction and prison sentence for Iulian Enache. 

"A four-year prison sentence is no compensation for the loss of Ronan Hughes - a young man who had his whole life ahead of him – however, there can be no doubt that the sentence means others will be spared the pain and loss experienced by the Hughes family at the hands of Enache."

"I also want to take this opportunity to appeal to parents and guardians to do all they can to keep their children safe from the hands of online criminals. We are all aware of the part social media plays in today’s society, therefore, it is incumbent on everyone to do what they can to stop offenders like Enache."


(CD)