Doctor pleads guilty to possessing and distributing child abuse material

Isabel Hayes

A Dublin doctor has pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing child abuse material.

Dr Ronan Keogan of College Square, Terenure was due to stand trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday morning.

Defence counsel, Lorcan Staines SC, indicated a jury would not be required, and his client was going to plead guilty.

Keogan (50) pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly distributing child pornography at an unknown location within the State on March 26th, 2017.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing three child pornography images at an address in Templeogue, Dublin, on May 15th, 2017.

Eoin Lawlor BL, prosecuting, indicated to the court that Keogan is no longer living at the Terenure address due to some “unwanted attention” from the public.

Judge Patricia Ryan set a sentence date of January 20th next year and remanded Keogan on continuing bail.

A no publicity order was previously imposed on the case at Dublin District Court, but this order was lifted when the case came to the Circuit Court following queries from media organisations.