This article contains references to child sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
By Sonya McLean
A man who told gardaí that he sent a video of child sexual abuse to a group of acquaintances to warn them of the dangers of leaving their children with others has been given a suspended sentence.
Yannick Kamina (38) of Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography.
The court heard this was a 54-second video that showed a child engaging in a sexual act with an adult male. Nothing else was found on Kamina’s phone, he has no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention since.
Judge Orla Crowe said she did not think Kamina’s explanation to gardaí for sending the video was “plausible”, adding that people do not need to receive such a video to be made aware of the dangers of such activity.
She acknowledged that Kamina was fully co-operative with the garda investigation and handed over his passwords. He also accepted that he should not have sent the video.
Judge Crowe refused an application by Keith Spencer BL, defending, that the case could be dealt with under the Probation Act, adding that it was too serious a matter.
She imposed a sentence of 18 months which she suspended in full having taken into account his co-operation and lack of previous convictions.
The investigating garda told Sarah Connolly BL, prosecuting, that gardaí received information about a suspicious video on February 2, 2018 after being alerted to it from the US authorities. The video was traced back to an IP address in Rathmines and Kamina’s Facebook account.
A warrant was secured to search Kamina’s home during which a number of items were seized.
Kamina was interviewed in July 2018 and made full admissions. He said he had shared the video with people in his home country of Cameroon, as a warning that people should be careful about whom they leave their children with.
He acknowledged “wholeheartedly” that he should not have shared it and was operating under “a misguided sense of duty”.
Mr Spencer submitted to the court that his client’s intentions were “good” and that he disseminated the material as “something happening to young girls that people should be aware of”.
He outlined his client’s background and work history to the court.
Counsel said Kamina accepts he was disseminating the material, but “did not realise the seriousness” of his actions at the time or that possession is itself an offence.
He said his client’s efforts to make people aware of these dangers were “misguided” and a “stupid mistake”.
He said his client was co-operative with gardai and provided them with passwords.
Counsel emphasised that the material was not disseminated in a group of people who intend to do harm with children, and his client abhors such behaviour.
Mr Spencer asked the court for as much leniency as possible for his client and to consider giving him the benefit of the Probation Act.