Man given suspended sentence over child porn

GARDAÍ FOUND more than 100 images of child pornography when they seized a computer, CDs and floppy discs at a Co Roscommon pub in December 2006, a court has been told.

Paul Regan (47), Halfway House, Tarmonbarry, Co Roscommon, but who now lives in Spain, was told by the judge yesterday that his was not a victimless crime and that children had been subjected to degrading abuse for the images to exist.

Roscommon Circuit Court heard that Regan, from Goatstown, Dublin, had been abused as an altar boy and the Dublin archdiocese had recently agreed to fund counselling for him in Spain.

Regan, who had pleaded guilty, was given a three-year suspended sentence by Judge Anthony Kennedy who also placed him on the sex offender register.

Ronan Kennedy, defending, who described it as a “sad case”, said Regan had been treated in St John of God’s after his arrest and had since sold the Co Roscommon pub and had moved to Spain where he had bought a cafe and was trying to make a new life.

Mr Kennedy said Regan had served with the French Foreign Legion, trained as a nurse in England, worked as a paramedic in the US for 20 years and then worked in the Mater hospital in Dublin. He had a long-term relationship while in the US and had a teenage son from this relationship.

Judge Kennedy told Regan that he agreed that this was a “sad’ case but he meant for the “misfortunate children” featured in the images who had been subjected to degrading abuse.