Courts / Wexford / Report

Man caught with extreme child abuse material gets one year sentence

Date
2022-10-11
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
New Ross
County
Wexford

Summary

Donal Carroll, aged 43, was convicted of possessing and distributing extreme child abuse material. He was found with nearly 1,500 images and videos, including a disturbing video that appeared to show a mother and child being raped and murdered, though the exact content of that video was not confirmed. Carroll pleaded guilty to one count of possession and two counts of distribution. He had no prior convictions. The material was discovered after a 2016 online activity alert by Norwegian authorities, leading to a search of his home and seizure of his laptop, which was analyzed in 2019. Carroll shared 11 images with a Norwegian contact. He has admitted to mental health issues and past suicide attempts. Judge Martin Nolan, considering the delayed seizure and distribution, imposed a one‑year custodial sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man caught with extreme child abuse material gets one year sentence. Charges or matters: one count of possessing child abuse material at his former home in Irvine Terrace, East Wall, Dublin on July 22, 2016; two counts of distributing child abuse material on dates in October and December 2014. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Donal Carroll

Defendant

Charges: one count of possessing child abuse material at his former home in Irvine Terrace, East Wall, Dublin on July 22, 2016; two counts of distributing child abuse material on dates in October and December 2014 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Sgt Ryan told the sentence hearing that gardaí were alerted to Carroll's online activity in 2016 by Norwegian authorities. Mr Bowman said Carroll has been "waiting for this day to come for six years" due to garda delays and this in itself was a "quasi-sentence".

Places mentioned

Address Area
  • Irvine Terrace
Secondary Mention
Facility
  • Carroll's house

Topics

Stage Sentence

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