Computer analysis now 'much faster' says top Limerick garda, after judge's comments in child pornography case

CHIEF Superintendent Gerry Roche says the turnaround in the garda analysis of computers is now "much faster".

When contacted by the Limerick Leader following comments made by Judge Tom O’Donnell regarding delays, Chief Supt Roche said: "Definitely, it has changed".

In last week’s newspaper, there was a court report of a middle-aged Limerick man admitting to possessing and distributing "category one" pictures and videos under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998.

A detective garda assigned to the divisional protective service unit in Henry Street told Limerick Circuit Court that he conducted a search under warrant at the man’s address in February, 2015. Two devices were seized and sent to Dublin for examination. The investigating garda got the results back in 2018.

The detective garda said a total of 268 images and 28 videos were found. And that 45 pictures and six videos were shared by the defendant.

"They were category one offences – adults having sex with children," said the detective garda.

When asked about the three year delay between the search and the man being arrested, the detective said it was down to the delay in the devices being examined in Dublin.

"Unfortunately there is a delay," said the detective garda.

The barrister for the defendant said: "He has had this hanging over him for a long number of years."

During sentencing, Judge Tom O’Donnell said a mitigating factor was that there is a delay in the system. He said the accused was "caught red-handed" in February 2015.

"I accept matters have to take a course but the devices were sent to Dublin for analysis in 2015. It was not completed until 2018," said Judge O’Donnell.

He said due to the seriousness of the categories it was deserving of a custodial sentence.

"I have listened to the mitigation. It is a period of seven years since the seizure of the computers. I feel it is too long to impose a custodial sentence. It would be disproportionate," said Judge O’Donnell, who stressed that he didn’t want to give the impression “for one moment that this court takes lightly the possession and distribution of child pornography”.

The accused received a two and half year suspended prison sentence to run concurrently for both the possession and distribution of child pornography.

Chief Supt Roche told the Leader there were backlogs in the past.

"That was a risk that was identified in the last couple of years. A national strategy was put in place to change it and there are new computer crime investigation (CCI) units in every region. There is one based in Cork. We have supplied some people to that as well. All the people that have gone into that unit have qualified in cyber crime investigation at Masters level,” said Chief Supt Roche.

While there some "older cases" like the one mentioned above, the top garda in Limerick said the turnaround in computers being analysed is now "much faster".

"When a case goes to court it takes a bit of time as well. The turnaround in analysis is well reduced. Devices can go to Cork or the cyber crime investigation unit in Dublin depending on the particular issue that needs to be addressed. There is criteria there,” explained Chief Supt Roche.