A 56-year-old internal auditor found with almost 2000 images of child pornography purchased on the Internet has received a two years suspended sentence from Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
David Walsh (55), of Ardilaun, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty to possession of 1,958 child pornographic images there and at Beverton Court, Donabate, on February 27th, 2002.
Judge Yvonne Murphy, who described the offence as "child abuse, plain and simple", said that the probation report which had been prepared after evidence was heard on July 20th, 2004, was very positive.
"It is clear that he has made tremendous progress and has been of help to others, which is a very positive thing to read in a report."
Judge Murphy, who was shown 50 sample images of those found in Walsh's possession to demonstrate to her their "full spectrum", said she was encouraged by reports from the Granada Institute that the possibility of Walsh re-offending was very low.
Detective Sergeant James Madden said on the last hearing that Walsh had purchased the images, which depicted mostly female prepubescent children from infants to 12 or 13-year-olds in sexual poses and engaged in sexual activity, over a six month period in 1999.
Det Sgt Madden told prosecuting counsel, Ms Una Ni Raefeartaigh BL, that Walsh's possession of the images came to light when US authorities informed gardai he had used his AIB Visa card 22 times between January and July 1999 to access child pornographic websites hosted by a company called Landslides
Sgt Madden agreed that Walsh, a married man with two daughters in their mid-20s, had been fully cooperative when confronted by gardai. He had allowed them to search his marital home in Portmarnock where he produced the CD onto which he had burned the Internet images.
He also told gardai that he had used a computer at his other address in Donabate to access the site and make the downloads and directed gardai there.
Judge Murphy sentenced Walsh to two years in prison but suspended it on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for those two years. Walsh was placed on the sex offenders register when he entered his plea of guilty and will remain on it until April 2009.