Teen in possession of child sexual abuse images was exposed to ‘deviant’ material at 9

Tom Tuite

A teenage schoolboy awaiting sentence for possessing hundreds of explicit child abuse images and videos was aged nine when a neighbour exposed him to “deviant viewing” online, a court has heard.

The boy, in his mid-teens, who cannot be identified because he is a minor, pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to two charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act.

The offences happened at his midlands home from July to September last year.

He confirmed in court that he knowingly possessed child pornography for the purpose of distributing, publishing, exporting, selling or showing it.

The boy also admitted a connected charge for possessing 231 images and 151 videos on the “explicit scale”.

He has the automatic right to anonymity because he is under 18, and mandatory reporting restrictions under section 93 of the Children Act apply.

Delia Flynn SC, for the boy, said he had been “exposed by a neighbour to this type of material from a very young age, I believe, nine”.

Judge Keenan Johnson heard that when the boy turned 10 or 11, he got access to the internet and began using “keywords”.

The court heard he was about to sit the Junior Certificate exams and was waiting “to commence with a Tusla programme for teenagers who have become involved in this type of deviant viewing”.

Independently, he was also attending counselling.

The defence asked that legal aid be extended to get a psychological report on his background and how it developed.

Noting the teen had exams ahead of him and the defence submissions, he adjourned the case until November.

Judge Johnson directed that a forensic psychological report be furnished to the court for the sentencing hearing.

The boy, accompanied to court by a family member, was remanded on bail.

Parents, guardians, or a responsible adult must attend criminal proceedings with juvenile defendants unless they have been excused for a valid reason.

The Children Act also states, “No report shall be published or included in a broadcast which reveals the name, address or school of any child concerned in the proceedings or includes any particulars likely to lead to the identification of any child concerned in the proceedings.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.