Courts / Dublin / Report
Jail for man who sent unsolicited child abuse images to woman he was seeing
Summary
Shane Byrne, 38, of Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to distributing child pornography in May and June 2016. Garda Deirdre Cotter reported that Byrne had been messaging a woman he was in an "on and off relationship" with, sending her unsolicited child abuse images and asking her to pretend she was a 12‑year‑old boy, to call him Daddy, and to obtain a child younger than five years old. He also sent images depicting a six‑year‑old being raped. Byrne denied sending the images and claimed he had never viewed child pornography. He was arrested after the woman contacted gardaí. Byrne had previously moved to England, where he was jailed for assault, and was extradited back to Ireland in July. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the last 12 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of supervision by the Probation Service, backdated to his July custody entry.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for man who sent unsolicited child abuse images to woman he was seeing. Charges or matters: distribution of child pornography in May and June 2016; the offences but found that a custodial sentence was warranted after commenting that the defendant had "a very unhealthy interest in children". Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-02-25 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: distribution of child pornography in May and June 2016; the offences but found that a custodial sentence was warranted after commenting that the defendant had "a very unhealthy interest in children" (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He acknowledged that Byrne had pleaded guilty to the offences but found that a custodial sentence was warranted after commenting that the defendant had "a very unhealthy interest in children". Judge Nolan sentenced Byrne to three years in prison before he suspended the last 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions including that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months backdated to when he went into custody last July.
Places mentioned
- Riversdale Drive
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Midlands Prison
Topics
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