Courts / Dublin / Report
Child abuse image distributor sent material to undercover FBI agent
Summary
Dermot Whelan, 67, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography on two computer devices at his Tallaght address on 21 July 2014, and to knowingly distributing child pornography at the same address on an unknown date between 20 October 2012 and 21 July 2014. He had no prior convictions. The case began when an undercover FBI agent, monitoring internet chat rooms suspected of hosting child‑pornography users, placed an advertisement that attracted a response from an email address that sent 25 child‑pornographic images. The FBI agent notified Yahoo, which identified the address as Irish. Gardaí obtained a search warrant, seized a laptop and a desktop, and found three explicit child‑pornographic videos, 53 explicit images, 182 child‑exposure images on the laptop, and further images on the desktop.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Child abuse image distributor sent material to undercover FBI agent. Charges or matters: possession of child pornography on two computer devices at his address on July 21, 2014; knowingly distributing child pornography at his address on an unknown date between October 20, 2012 and July 21, 2014. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- July 21, 2014 Incident
- October 20, 2012 Incident
- July 9 Adjournment
- 2020-06-23 Publication
Why: He said that at the time he thought it was okay because he was not buying it or contributing to it. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of child pornography on two computer devices at his address on July 21, 2014; knowingly distributing child pornography at his address on an unknown date between October 20, 2012 and July 21, 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Elma Sheahan remanded the accused on continuing bail and adjourned the matter for finalisation on July 9, next.
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
- Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
- Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
- 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
- Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
- 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request