Brian Curtin (54) was born and educated in south London, the son of emigrant parents. He enrolled at Trinity College Dublin in the early 1970s.
He studied at King's Inns and qualified as a barrister in 1976. Several high-profile cases followed, including a brief at the Kerry Babies tribunal.
His home was raided in May 2002 as part of Operation Amethyst.
Eight months earlier, in November 2001, he had been appointed to the Circuit Court.
This followed many years as a barrister with a thriving practice on the southwest circuit, based in Tralee.
He had also been appointed to the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, although he did not hear any cases or receive any fees.
On his first appearance before Tralee District Court on a charge of possession of child pornography in January 2003, his solicitor was granted a three-month adjournment as his client was too ill to attend.
He pleaded not guilty and was eventually acquitted of possessing child pornography in April 2004 on direction of the court as the search warrant was out of date.
In May 2004, he was charged with drink-driving in Tralee. Pleading guilty, he was disqualified from driving for two years, fined €€250 and had his licence endorsed.
- Christine Newman