AT a court case regarding possession of child porn in Cork last week, the act of accessing child pornography was described as representing ‘dysfunctional escapism' rather than paedophile tendencies.
AT a court case regarding possession of child porn in Cork last week, the act of accessing child pornography was described as representing ‘dysfunctional escapism’ rather than paedophile tendencies. The defendant, with a West Cork address, was given a three-year suspended jail term.
Greg Lordan of Parish Field, Clonakilty pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography at his home on February 16th 2017.
Sgt Kevin Long said the gardaí were given certain information the previous month and, as a result, they applied for a warrant to search the accused’s home.
Sgt Long went to the defendant’s home in February last year with the warrant.
‘Prior to that I met the person concerned – Greg Lordan – on his way home from work. I cautioned him. On the roadside, he admitted he had an old mobile phone and there was child pornography on it. He said he had accessed the child pornography the day previously, Sgt Long said.
That phone was examined and there were 386 images depicting children under 17 in sexual acts on it. The children were as young as three to four years old.
The 386 images showed children involved in sex acts with other children or adults. In respect of three particular images, children aged seven or eight were involved in sexual acts with dogs.
None of the children in the images were ever identified in the course of the garda investigation.
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said that the psychotherapy report on the accused stated that Lordan was now aware of the abusive nature of child pornography, and the severe consequences for the victims.
And in the report, Lordan’s act of accessing child pornography was described as representing ‘dysfunctional escapism’ rather than paedophile tendencies.
Siobhán Lankford, barrister for Lordan, said her client, aged 29, was now living in Spain with his partner and had returned for court proceedings related to the case every time he was required to do so. She said he had taken steps to get treatment for his problems which stemmed from when he was much younger, and that he had undertaken this treatment as soon as gardaí had approached him.
Judge Ó Donnabháin said that he would suspend the sentence in its entirety in view of the co-operation of the accused, including the fact that he had returned to Ireland whenever he was required to do so for the case.
