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Child abuse material downloaded 'as some kind of coping mechanism', court told

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 42‑year‑old Sergio Arriaga pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. He had downloaded 2,745 images and 234 videos, some depicting children as young as two, from a peer‑to‑peer network. The material was stored on 11 hard drives seized during a 2013 search warrant, which was executed after information from German parties. Arriaga, who has no prior convictions, claimed the material was a coping mechanism for loneliness, isolation and depression, and denied any sexual interest in real teenage girls. He admitted he first encountered the material in a block download and became interested in adolescent images, but insisted he did not distribute or produce any files. The judge adjourned the case to 15 October to decide on a probation report.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Child abuse material downloaded 'as some kind of coping mechanism', court told. Charges or matters: possession of child pornography at his address on April 29, 2013. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• April 29, 2013 Incident
• April 2013 Other
• October 15 Adjournment
• 2020-10-09 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

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Read the original CNI report