A Dublin man who absconded before his trial in England for possession of child pornography in 2002 has received a two-year sentence for possession of more than 3,000 similar images at the "upper end of the spectrum".
Jason Maguire (24), Killininny Court, Firhouse, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act on July 28th, 2006.
Maguire absconded before his trial in England on similar charges in 2002 and was subsequently the subject of a European arrest warrant before his detention in Ireland last year on these charges. Judge Desmond Hogan imposed a two-year sentence with the final year suspended, and backdated it to last July to reflect time spent in custody.
He ordered that Maguire be registered as a sex offender and the destruction of the pornographic material.
Bernard Condon, prosecuting, submitted that this sentence had now expired and Judge Hogan remanded Maguire in custody to be surrendered to English authorities. He noted that Maguire would receive post-release treatment in England on completion of any sentence imposed there.
Sgt Ivan Howlin told Mr Condon that during a search of Maguire's rented accommodation in Firhouse, detectives seized 15 disks, memory sticks, and hard drives.
They had 2,938 photographs and 300 videos depicting naked children aged between two and 15 years old who were involved in or being subject to sexual acts.
Maguire agreed he had sole access to the computer equipment and admitted possession of pornography, but not child pornography.
Sgt Howlin said Maguire was the subject of a European arrest warrant after he failed to appear for trial in 2002 at Chester Crown Court in England on similar charges.