Courts / Dublin / Report

No jail for man caught with child abuse imagery after exposing himself

Date
2019-12-20

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Niall Edwards, 37, of Kinnegad, pleaded guilty to exposing his genitals in two Dublin shopping centres in 2017 and 2018 and to possessing 1,665 images of child pornography. The images included 1,417 of children in sexual activity and 248 of children with exposed privates. Gardaí seized his phone and found no evidence of payment or sharing. Edwards lost his job as a chef when the offences were discovered. He expressed shame and remorse in a psychological report. Judge Martin Nolan, citing the absence of aggravating factors such as prior convictions or distribution, imposed a non‑custodial sentence. He sentenced Edwards to two and a half years, suspended in full for that period, subject to strict conditions including 18 months of probation supervision. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: No jail for man caught with child abuse imagery after exposing himself. Charges or matters: exposing his genitals at TK Maxx, ILAC Shopping Centre, Dublin 1, on August 10, 2017 and on May 27, 2018; exposing his genitals in Penney's Shopping Centre, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, and possession of child pornography at Store Street Garda Station on May 27, 2018. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 10, 2017 Incident
May 27, 2018 Incident
2019-12-20 Publication

Case subjects

Niall Edwards

Defendant

Charges: exposing his genitals at TK Maxx, ILAC Shopping Centre, Dublin 1, on August 10, 2017 and on May 27, 2018; exposing his genitals in Penney's Shopping Centre, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, and possession of child pornography at Store Street Garda Station on May 27, 2018 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Nolan said to imprison Edwards at this point would be unjust and imposed a two and a half year sentence which he suspended in full for two and a half years on strict conditions including 18 months probation supervision.