A 64-YEAR-old man who admitted distributing child sex abuse images at his home in East Cork four years ago has been jailed for six years with the last three years suspended.

Fergus Galvin pleaded guilty to a charge that, on 24 October 2015 at his home at 15 Charleston Wharf, Balick Road, Midleton, County Cork, he knowingly had in his possession sex abuse images, namely 290 files consisting of images and movies portraying child sex abuse.

He also admitted knowingly distributing child sex abuse images between August 27 and 30, 2015.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mr Galvin had lost his job and family arising out of the offence. 

Judge O’Callaghan said that he was “perplexed” by the openness with which Galvin conducted the offences and the ease with which Gardaí could track the defendant. 

Mr Galvin was found guilty and previously served a sentence for similar offences. 

Sinead Behan, BL, representing Mr Galvin, said that his client had at times posed a suicide risk. He was relieved that the case was finally before the courts. 

She said that client was very helpful and co-operative with gardaí. Mr Galvin has a background of childhood sexual abuse. 

Judge O’Callaghan said that it was not a “victimless” crime. He stated that children in faraway places were being abused and the persons committing such offences were supporting the “wholesale abuse of young children.” 

There was no suggestion that Galvin was involved in the production of such material.

Judge O’Callaghan jailed Mr Galvin for six years suspending the last three years of the sentence to give the defendant “one last chance” to turn his life around.