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Garda jailed for two years for possession of child abuse images

Joseph O’Connor (58) of west Dublin had pleaded not guilty.

A GARDA CONVICTED of possessing images and videos of children being subjected to sexual acts has been jailed for two years.

Joseph O’Connor (58) of west Dublin had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of possession of child abuse images at his home on dates between July 30 and August 2, 2011.

In August 2011, gardaí investigating an allegation of assault made against O’Connor went to his home and seized evidence, including a laptop.

A subsequent analysis of the laptop found videos in the computer’s “recycle bin” depicting boys under the age of ten being subjected to sexual acts.

Two videos depicted boys under 17 being subjected to sexual acts with a male adult. There were also multiple copies of 16 different images of children sexually exposed or being subjected to sexual acts with other children.

After a trial last November, a jury convicted him of four counts. The jury acquitted him of one count which dealt with 56 duplicates of two images found on his laptop.

Detective Superintendent Colm O’Malley told the court that O’Connor had been a garda for 25 years before his suspension from duty in 2012.

He agreed with Paul Carroll SC, defending, that O’Connor had a good work record and had not re-offended since these offences first came to light.

Counsel said that his client denied knowing anything about the material and maintains his innocence. He had told investigators that a man who came to his house for sex, days before his laptop was seized, had corrupted his computer.

He denied downloading it and described it as “sick”.

The court heard there had been delays in bringing the case to a conclusion due, in part, to the involvement of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in investigating a complaint of assault made by the other man. This man did not cooperate with this investigation and it was dropped.

Carroll said his client had an unblemished career and was a dedicated garda who had carried out his duties to the best of his ability.

He said he suffered post-traumatic stress after a work incident in 1995 and took around nine months to recover.

The maximum sentence for the offences is a fine of €5000 or a prison term of five years. Judge Elma Sheahan set a headline sentence of three and a half years which she reduced to two years after taking into consideration his position as a garda and the support of his family.

Members of his family were in court for the hearings and his lawyers had handed a testimonial letter signed by his six siblings into Judge Sheahan.

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    Mute George Vladisavljevic
    Favourite George Vladisavljevic
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:12 PM

    Liquid natural gas, fracked gas, increased coal burning for power plants. Reopening of nuclear plants, shipping more and more natural gas, oil and coal from around the world, mostly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and we are going to get penalised and fined for the peatlands.

    Someone really needs to grow a pair and tell the EU Commision to sod off and that we are living in very challenging times.

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    Mute Ciaran O'Mara
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:24 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic: I disagree. Ireland has broken the law for many years. We were warned in 2011 to stop it. The Commission has been far to slow in enforcing the rules. It is shameful that we won’t protect our own heritage.

    98
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    Mute Alan Kenny
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:55 PM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: They have been happy to pay the fine due to VRT. Ah sure why don’t they buy some energy credits. It’s a shambles, designed by people who will never be affected by their policies

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    Mute Peter Donoghue
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:55 PM

    @Ciaran O’Mara: define what you mean by heritage ?

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    Mute Urban Living Dublin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 3:22 PM

    @Peter Donoghue: natural heritage perhaps? Our greatest sources of biodiversity and largest carbon sinks?

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    Mute Gavin Tobin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 6:44 PM

    @George Vladisavljevic: no someone needs to stand up to greedy culchies wrecking SACs

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    Mute Alan Kenny
    Favourite Alan Kenny
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    Sep 30th 2022, 12:21 PM

    Bord Na Monas industrial scale cutting of the bogs has caused this. Now the farmer suffers. Always the way.

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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Sep 30th 2022, 1:33 PM

    Keep cutting lads. Centuries old custom of heating dwellings

    107
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    Mute Michael Keegan
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:32 PM

    @Dave Barrett: when are the disadvantaged in Dublin getting their turf

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    Mute Urban Living Dublin
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    Sep 30th 2022, 3:20 PM

    @Dave Barrett: no more modern amenities for you so. Replace that Avensis with a horse and cart and pull the copper wire out of your house, candles only from now on. And wait, what are you doing on the Journal.ie? Shouldn’t you be sending handwritten letters to the Dublin Penny Journal instead?

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    Mute Peter Donoghue
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    Sep 30th 2022, 2:49 PM

    Friends of Irish Environment (FIE) have little to be at !! .. reporting people . What active activity are they ever engaged in ? .
    As for the EU – We the people of Ireland should have the right to make and enforce our own rules, instead of a band of Nazi’ shoving legislation down our throats

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    Mute Daniel Morrissey
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    Sep 30th 2022, 7:51 PM

    An absolute farce… all about control from the EU.. stop cutting the turf lads.. we need your carbon credits for the data centres…
    Off topic… Will the Italian’s make an attempt at getting out of the EU…

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    Mute Kenny Hyslop
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    Sep 30th 2022, 1:22 PM

    Arrest the people doing it, take their companies, close them down and put them in prison.
    Oh no wait, this is Ireland.
    Do nothing and say you can’t fix it overnight, 12 years later.

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    Mute Ken Red
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    Sep 30th 2022, 8:54 PM

    What ever about people burning for heat, their is also the industrial scale harvesting of peat for gardens in the UK Westfield and others

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