Man had images and videos of child porn at Limerick city apartment

A MAN will be sentenced next month after he pleaded guilty to possession of hundreds of images of child pornography and dozens of videos depicting child abuse.

The 31-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to a single charge when he was arraigned before Limerick Circuit Court last week.

The charge, under the provisions of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act relates to the discovery of 2,683 images and 721 movie files at the man’s apartment in the city centre on February 10, 2016.

While the defendant has an address in the city, he is originally from the South East of the country.

Earlier this year, the man also admitted possession of a further 56 images and two video at the same address on the same date.

He has yet to enter a plea to a charge which alleges he was involved in the production or distribution of child pornography.

The man, who will be sentenced later this year, has also pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the sending of indecent messages by telephone to a teenage boy on dates between January 3, 2015 and May 5, 2016.

Those charges under the Post Office (Amendment) Act 1951, as amended by section 4 of the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007, state that he “sent by telephone a message that was indecent” from a location within the State.

After the man entered his guilty plea John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting described the case as “highly sensitive” given the nature of the charges before the court.

Mark Nicholas SC, representing the defendant, requested that a psychological report be prepared in relation to his client ahead of the sentencing hearing.

Adjourning the matter to next month, Judge Tom O’Donnell ordered that the man’s name be placed on the register of sex offenders.

He indicated he will review the reporting restrictions relating to the man’s identity following the conclusion of the sentencing process.