Accused viewed more than 100 child porno images

A HEALTH care assistant and member of the Garda Reserve was given a two-year suspended prison sentence when he appeared before the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar today (Wednesday) on child pornography charges.

Hugh Condren (48), with an address at Brookville Avenue, Swinford, had pleaded guilty at an earlier court to possessing the pornographic images, which had been uploaded to his Dropbox.

Detective Garda Martin Mitchell told today's sentencing hearing that 109 images in total were involved.

Some of the images showed children involved in sex acts with children while others showed children being exploited by males and children from four years upwards being sexually abused by adult males.

The existence of the Dropbox material, which was later traced to Mr. Condren, was notified to gardaí by the (US-based) National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.

Mr. Des Dockery, senior counsel, told the court the accused had resigned from both the health service and the Garda Reserve.

Counsel added that his client accepts resonsibility for his offending behaviour and now has gained a good insight into the gravity of such behaviour and the chlld exploitation it promotes.

Mr. Dockery said the number of images involved were modest in number and were accessed for a three-month period at a time when the accused had 'lost his way in a temporary, catastrophic fashion'.

Counsel continued that the accused's mother and father, as well as his husband, were in court to support him.

Judge Sean Ó Donnabhain said he was prepared to accept that events happened at a time when the accused had lost his way and that he has now disengaged from such activity.

The judge said that nothwithstanding the seriousness of the offence, he was satisfied there was a low risk of re-offending.

He then imposed a two-year prison sentence, fully suspended on condition the accused continues to engage with a pyschiatrist and obeys her directions.