A 29-year-old Galway man has been sentenced to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended, after pleading guilty to possessing images and video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, some as young as three months old.
Sean Stewart, with an address at Drumaveg, Moycullen, was before Galway Circuit Criminal Court this morning.
He had pleaded guilty to one charge relating to the possession of child pornography.
Sergeant James Tierney told the court that the material was found at Gort na Glaise, Sandy Road, Galway on 27 November 2013.
Over 5,500 images and video files were stored on a HP laptop, a USB stick and on two Samsung mobile phones.
The images contained visual representations of children aged from three months to 15 years, posing and engaged in explicit sexual activity.
Detective Sergeant Paul Johnstone, of the Computer Crime Unit of the Garda Fraud Bureau, told Judge Rory McCabe that the material involving sexual activity could be classified as being on the upper end of the scale.
He said it appeared the images and videos had been obtained from subscription services or websites that required an invitation to join them.
The court heard Stewart had received a two-year suspended sentence in 2011, after being convicted on two counts of defilement of a child under the age of 15.
He had another conviction for failing to notify gardaí about a change of address, as required under legislation governing sex offenders.
Sgt Tierney told the court that Stewart had co-operated fully with gardaÍ and entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.
Judge Rory McCabe said he had to take all factors into account in arriving at his decision.
He noted the assistance given by the defendant and accepted evidence that the offence in question was on the upper end of the scale.
Judge McCabe said a custodial sentence was unavoidable.
He sentenced Stewart to three years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended.
He said he arrived at his decision in the hope that Stewart might seek assistance while in prison.
He recommended that this be facilitated by prison authorities, if it was sought.
The judge acceded to an application from the Director for Public Prosecutions for a destruction order for the material and devices on which they were stored.
