A former Donegal priest who pleaded guilty to a charge of having over 3,000 child pornographic images in his possession at his home last year was sentenced to two years imprisonment - with the final six months suspended - at Letterkenny Circuit Court yesterday.
The court heard details of how gardaí seized the images after searching the home of Mr Paul McDaid (38), College Park, Letterkenny, on May 27th, 2002, as part of Operation Amethyst.
A priest from 1989 until 1996, he was employed as a health promotion worker with the North Western Health Board at the time of the offence, and was well known in the local community.
Judge Matthew Deery recalled that evidence had revealed that McDaid had 3,474 images of child porn. Some of these were of children as young as three or four. Others showed sexual acts and bestiality. A total of 271 images of teen sex acts had been downloaded.
The judge disclosed details from a number of character references, including one from the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Séamus Hegarty, who wrote that McDaid was "very contrite" and what had happened was "out of character" for the man that he knew.
Dr Hegarty also stated McDaid had a "very positive contribution to make to the community." McDaid had been secretary to Dr Hegarty when he was the Bishop of Raphoe in the early 1990s.
McDaid's home had been raided as part of a nationwide swoop on people suspected of downloading pornography from the Internet.
Delivering his judgement, Judge Matthew Deery said he had taken into account the fact that Mr McDaid had pleaded guilty to the offence under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. McDaid had also co-operated fully with the gardaí and had voluntarily sought counselling as well as showing great remorse.
The judge noted the whole thrust of the defence was that McDaid was on a special treatment programme for "non-contact" sex offenders that was more comprehensive than anything he would get in prison.
Judge Deery stated he could not accept McDaid had been unaware that the images and actions witnessed had not caused harm to the children involved.
He ordered that McDaid receive all appropriate treatment and counselling while in custody. An application for leave to appeal was refused. Mr McDaid will also now be named on the Sex Offenders' Register.