A man who said he downloaded child pornography from the internet out of what he claimed was curiosity has been given a two-year suspended sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Stephen Seagrave (30), of Pine Woods, Greenpark, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on May 27th, 2002.
He had in his possession 138 images depicting children aged between eight and 16 years engaged in sexual activity with each other and adults. He also had eight videos depicting children of the same age partaking in similar activity.
Judge Miriam Reynolds described some of the images as "heartbreaking", and said they depicted instances where children were being clearly manipulated by perverted adults.
She said the creation of such images were most clearly not an amateur hobby but an organised crime. "If these images were not downloaded, and if there was no possibility of commercial gain, there would be no such industry."
She said it was not the case that "it is somehow harmless to simply look at the images".
She said suspending the sentence she was imposing was not an indication that the court did not regard the offence with utmost seriousness. She was taking guidance from experts in the field who have been monitoring Seagrave's behaviour since he pleaded guilty.
She was also taking into consideration his early plea of guilty and his genuine remorse.
Judge Reynolds noted that Seagrave has recently become a father himself, and she said she hoped it would make him realise even more the seriousness of his offence.
"The children in the pictures were also someone's daughter, someone's son," the judge said.
She suspended the sentence on condition that he continued to undergo all necessary counselling and treatment; that he does not use the internet unless it is for work purposes; and that he does not become a member of any community group, voluntary or otherwise, which involved children.
Seagrave told gardaí following his arrest that "it's not a turn-on. I did not get off on it.
"It was just curiosity. I felt sorry for the kids in the pictures and films."