Alan Clarke given suspended sentence for child pornography

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Alan Clarke was given an 18-month suspended sentence for possessing child pornography at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 17 January 2020. The offence occurred at FÁS Training Centre, Loughlinstown Drive, County Dublin, on 2 June 2009.

The sentence was suspended on conditions including that Clarke continue attending therapy as directed by the Probation Service. Judge Melanie Greally cited the significant delay in the investigation and the time since the offending.

The court heard that 41 videos and 28 images were found on Clarke’s laptop after it was brought to the centre for repair. The material had been downloaded between March and May 2009, according to the evidence before the court.