A FORMER HSE manager in the west of Ireland shared images and conducted conversations of “the utmost depravity” on the Kik live-streaming platform, a court heard.

Peter O’Malley (47), Hawthorn Place, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, who came under notice from the FBI in Philadelphia for his online activity on Kik in May 2021, appeared before Judge Eoin Garavan at a sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar, Co Mayo yesterday.

As a result of intelligence forwarded to An Garda Síochána by the FBI, O’Malley’s home in Ballinrobe was searched and four devices were seized, two mobile phones and a tablet belonging to the accused and a work phone belonging to the HSE.

Detective Garda Paula Griffin of the Mayo Divisional Protective Servíces Unit, told State prosecutor Patrick Reynolds today that O’Malley’s personal phone held 128,791 images and approximately 70 per cent of this material was of a legal and illegal pornographic nature.

The garda explained that some of the images contained images of children from approximately three years of age to teenagers being sexually abused.

She continued: “Some of the images contained one adult abuser, while the others involved multiple adult abusers. Some of the victims were visibly crying and screaming in the images”.

She also said that O’Malley was identified by the FBI as being the administrator, the person who facilitated entry onto the Kik website.

O’Malley appeared before the judge for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to sharing and distributing images of children under 17 engaged in explicit sexual activity or witnessing sexual activity.

It was revealed at yesterday’s hearing that O’Malley’s role with the HSE saw him organise vaccine clinics at McHale Park. Castlebar, and in Roscommon at the height of the Covid pandemic.

However, he was suspended by the HSE in May 2022 when details of his online activity came to light, and he formally resigned earlier this year.

Desmond Dockery SC, for O’Malley, asked the judge for leniency. He said that at the time of the offences, the defendant was at a low ebb working from home, drinking excessively, feeling isolated and turned to adult pornography for distraction.

The judge, who described what he had heard in evidence as ‘shocking’ , adjourned sentencing until 25 November but placed O’Malley in custody forthwith and remanded him in custody until the sentencing date.