This article contains references to child sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
By Claire Henry
A man found in possession of over 1.2 million images and videos of child sexual abuse material, along with a child mannequin dressed in a school uniform, has been jailed for two years and nine months.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Alan McCrea (48) from Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to seven counts of possession of child pornography at an address in Dublin 15, on February 5, 2018. He has 10 previous convictions which include public order and criminal damage offending.
Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Elva Duffy said, “This was not a short-term or once-off incident”, but had been “going on for a significant period of time”. She also noted an “enormous amount of category one material which brings this offending into the very upper end of offending scale”.
Judge Duffy said she would consider the contents of a psychological report, the documents handed in from McCrea and his mother, his early guilty pleas, his remorse, his issues with alcohol and being homeless in the past as mitigating factors.
The judge said, “It does seem to me he will require counselling, probation supervision and alcohol treatment”. She also noted the hardship this will cause for McCrea’s mother, who was present in court.
Judge Duffy sentenced McCrea to three and a half years in prison and suspended the final nine months for two years under strict conditions. She also placed McCrea under the supervision of the Probation Services for two years post-release and directed him to abstain from alcohol for two years post release.
Detective Garda Donna White told Kate Egan BL, prosecuting, that gardai received information in 2018 that McCrea was in possession of child sexual abuse materials.
A search warrant was issued for McCrea’s home, and a search was carried out. McCrea was present during the search and cooperated with the gardai. 47 devices in total, along with a child mannequin, which was dressed in a school uniform, were seized by the gardai.
Det Gda White said 15 hard drives were analysed using software linked with UK, Canadian and Interpol databases of child sexual abuse material. She said the material found was 50% videos and 50% images. She further noted that the contents were of female children of all ages engaging with adult males. The material was of oral rape, masturbation, and anal and genital areas being visible.
A total of over 1.29 million videos and images of child sexual abuse material were found on 15 devices using this software. A detective garda selected 1,826 random sample images and videos and confirmed that each of them was classified as child sexual abuse material.
The court heard that 169,966 videos and images were listed as category one materials, which is explicit material of persons under the age of 17 engaging in explicate activity. Over 1.12 million videos and images were classified as category two materials, which are classified as the material of the anus or genitalia that are visible or exposed. 389 were listed as category three materials which were of an animated format.
McCrea made admissions to gardai while his home was being searched and during a phone call in May 2018. During this phone call, he told gardai that “I downloaded shit, I know I’m fucked either way, I know I fucked up big time”.
Ms Egan outlined to the court that the maximum sentence available to the court is five years.
Det Gda White agreed with Seoirse O Dunlaing, SC, defending, that his client made admissions while his house was being searched. He said that his client confirmed that he had downloaded child sexual abuse material.
The garda agreed with counsel that McCrea met with the gardai by arrangement on several occasions.
Mr O Dunlaing said his client “lives a solitary and pathetic existence”. He asked the court to have regard that there was no evidence that his client had produced or distributed any of the material found on the devices.
Counsel said McCrea understands the seriousness of this situation.
He said that his client had been exposed to a high level of trauma from an early age, which led to him drinking heavily.
He asked the court to structure a sentence that would factor in rehabilitation and said his client would require high levels of support when released from custody.
He asked the court to take into consideration the following: his client’s early guilty plea, his admissions and remorse, that he has accepted responsibility for his offending, that his previous convictions are not of a sexual nature and his health issues.