Courts / Dublin / Report

Veronica Guerin's brother avoids jail on child porn charges

Date
2019-10-23
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Martin Guerin, 68, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock address on 17 September 2014. He was found to have held material depicting children, including girls under 15 and as young as two, in sexual activity, and images of children with exposed genitals. Gardaí traced the material to Guerin via an IP address and seized devices during a search. Guerin admitted responsibility and cooperated with investigators. Judge Martin Nolan, noting no aggravating factors and Guerin's guilty plea, good work history, and lack of prior convictions, imposed a fully suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on good behaviour for that period. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence appropriate given the circumstances. No mention of prior convictions or future sentencing was made. The case was presented as a single charge of possession of child pornography.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Veronica Guerin's brother avoids jail on child porn charges. Charges or matters: knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his address on September 17, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Martin Guerin

Defendant

Charges: knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his address on September 17, 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He sentenced Guerin to two and a half years imprisonment, but suspended the sentence in its entirety on condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two and a half years.

Places mentioned

Residence
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Incident
Garda Station
  • Guerin attended Swords Garda Station
  • Swords

Topics

Stage Sentence

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