The US authorities "will not be pursuing" one of its citizens who was sent home after admitting possession of child pornography, Dublin District Court has been told. Thomas O'Shaughnessy (45), from Arizona, was yesterday sentenced to four months imprisonment in his absence at the court. He was arrested coming from a shipping company's offices in Mulhuddart after collecting a large number of floppy discs containing images of child pornography.
He pleaded guilty and the case was adjourned so arrangements could be made to have him flown back to the US.
Judge David Anderson said he would impose a four-month sentence which he would have to serve if he was still in this State yesterday.
Yesterday, the judge was told O'Shaughnessy had been escorted to Dublin Airport last Thursday by Det Sgt Malachy Dunne and put on a flight to Boston. Det Sgt Dunne said information was forwarded to US officials and O'Shaughnessy was interviewed, but the Attorney General's office had decided it was "not going to pursue it".
Judge Anderson made an order forfeiting 57 discs with 125 images of child pornography to the Irish authorities.