Hi °C | Lo °C A MAN has been sentenced to 10 years for distributing and possessing more than 135,000 child pornography images and videos – one of the largest collections ever uncovered in the State.
James Clarke (58), of Devlis Cottage, Ballyhaunis, Mayo, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of knowingly distributing child pornography at Russell View Square, Tallaght, Dublin, on a number of dates in August 2010.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on August 20, 2010. The investigation also revealed that Clarke was in email contact with a woman about keeping her and her 14-year-old daughter as sex slaves.
The 135,555 images and videos found on Clarke's computer included images showing severe child sex abuse involving bondage, cruelty and bestiality. The child pornography was organised into computer folders by themes and individuals. Clarke was using an internet site to offer the images to others.
Judge Patricia Ryan suspended two years of the term on condition that he keeps the peace and is of good behaviour for three years on his release.
The sentence was backdated to when Clarke went into custody in January 2012. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register.
Warnings
At a previous hearing Detective Garda Cathal Delaney told prosecuting barrister Fiona McGowan that the files found on Clarke's computer drives amounted to "the largest collection of child porn" he had ever found up to that date.
Clarke was using Gigatribe, a legitimate social networking site which he compared to Facebook, to distribute these images.
The court heard that Clarke would restrict access to his files to other users who were sharing files. Det Gda Delaney said that warnings about sharing files and an invitation to others to "enjoy the files you use" was repeated in a number of languages.
Garda Christopher O'Leary told Ms McGowan that Clarke has a previous conviction for sex with a minor in 1977.
Kitty Perle, defending, said her client had previously suffered from depression and had attempted suicide a number of times.
Irish Independent
