Courts / Dublin / Report

Serial offender had 10,000 images and videos of child porn

Date
2019-10-15
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Steven McGivern, 42, of Belfast, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for possessing 9,595 images and 178 videos of child pornography. The material, found in his apartment after a search warrant issued following Canadian police information, showed preteen boys and girls with exposed genitals, engaging in sexual activity with each other and with adult males. McGivern admitted downloading the content for sexual gratification and acknowledged the illegality of his actions. He also provided a credit card used to pay for some of the videos. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúalacháin noted his three prior convictions for indecent assault and attempts to take indecent photos of children, and cited the volume of material, the duration of the offence, and the ages of the children involved as aggravating factors. The judge highlighted that the offence was not a victimless crime, as real children were exploited, and that financial gain was involved. Steven McGivern pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Serial offender had 10,000 images and videos of child porn. Charges or matters: possession of child pornography at his former address of Garville Road, Rathgar, Dublin, on November 26, 2012; indecent assault in 1999 and of two charges of attempting to take indecent photos of children in 2003. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

Case subjects

Steven McGivern

Defendant

Charges: possession of child pornography at his former address of Garville Road, Rathgar, Dublin, on November 26, 2012; indecent assault in 1999 and of two charges of attempting to take indecent photos of children in 2003 (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Judge Ní Chúalacháin sentenced McGivern to two and a half years imprisonment.

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report

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