Courts / Dublin / Report
Former security guard jailed for having thousands of child abuse images
Summary
Owen Shannon, 53, a former security guard and long‑time caregiver for his mother and father, was found with 3,437 images and 56 videos of children as young as five being sexually abused by adult men. He pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of possessing child pornography. Judge Melanie Greally imposed an 18‑month sentence, with 12 months suspended, and ordered Shannon to engage with the Probation Service for a year, to be assessed for a sexual offenders treatment programme, and to complete it constructively if suitable. The material was seized after a tip from Russian authorities and analysed the following year. Shannon admitted the content showed girls as young as five, with some as young as three, and expressed remorse, noting his solitary life and caregiving responsibilities. The court deferred the final sentencing until his father was vaccinated against Covid‑19.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former security guard jailed for having thousands of child abuse images. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 23, 2016 Incident
- 2021-05-19 Publication
Places mentioned
- Carrick Hill Road
- Portmarnock
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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