Man admits having child pornography at Limerick flat

A MAN who has admitted sending indecent images to a teenage boy is due to be sentenced before Easter.

The 30-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to several charges when he was arraigned at Limerick Circuit Court this Tuesday afternoon.

The man has pleaded guilty to sending indecent messages by telephone to the teenager on dates during 2016.

He has also admitted possession of child pornography at a location in the city centre early last year.

The man, who was arrested at a location outside of Limerick last May, was previously granted bail despite strong garda objections.

During a bail application in the district court, Detective Garda Fiona O’Connell said it will be alleged by the State that within a week of befriending the boy on social media, the defendant sent him provocative images and videos.

She alleged that more than 50 images of the boy were subsequently found on a phone belonging to the accused.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told the defendant, who is not from Limerick, was intercepted by gardai while travelling to meet the boy in a named hotel in another county.

Despite the garda concerns, the judge granted bail subject to his compliance with strict conditions.

The man was ordered not to have unsupervised access to any juvenile – including relatives of his.

He agreed to inform gardai of the details of his social media accounts and not to use them as a condition of his bail.

While he was given permission to buy a mobile phone, a condition of his bail was that he only use a device which is unable to access the internet.

Following the man’s arrest a file was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions who directed trial on indictment at the circuit court.

A book of evidence was then completed and served on the defendant before Christmas.

Last month his lawyers sought to have the matter listed on Tuesday for arraignment.

After noting the guilty pleas, Judge Tom O’Donnell adjourned the matter to March for a sentencing hearing when he will hear details of the offences.