Jashua Robert Tremblay originally said he was only 16 when he started talking to the young Irish girl

A CANADIAN father who flew to Ireland twice to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he groomed on the internet is due to be sentenced today.

Jashua Robert Tremblay, who is in his early 30s, pleaded guilty to three charges under Canadian child sex tourism legislation.

His victim was only 13 when the online grooming began in late 2012 and she was 14 when Tremblay had sex with her, local radio station 630 CHED reports.

He had originally told the girl he was 16 when they started talking but revealed his real age before travelling to Ireland.

Tremblay flew to Dublin Airport and then made his way to south Kerry.

The Kerryman reported in 2015 that concerns were then raised by locals when they were spotted at a rental accommodation together.

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He was reported to gardaí by a local in Portmagee who became suspicious of the pair's relationship.

It is understood that when Mr Tremblay was questioned in the company of the girl, he initially claimed he was her father. However, he was subsequently arrested in another jurisdiction and was deported.

Gardaí then began a major joint Irish-Canadian investigation.

The young girl was interviewed by gardaí and they examined all her computers and phone, when they discovered Tremblay had been using his real name on social media to contact her.

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Explicit sexual images were also discovered, which Tremblay initiated.

He pleaded guilty last December on three counts:

Online luring to facilitate the making of a child pornography;

Online luring to facilitate sexual contact with a person under the age of 16;

Sexual contact with someone under the age of 16.

Under Canadian law, citizens and permanent residents can be prosecuted for certain sexual offences committed against children in other countries.

He will be sentenced at the Edmonton Law Courts in Canada.

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