Courts / Dublin / Report
"Largest facilitator of child porn in the world" refused legal aid
Summary
A man described by the FBI as 'the largest facilitator of child porn in the world' was refused legal aid today in his application for a judicial review of the DPP's decision not to prosecute him in Ireland. Eric Eoin Marques, alleged to be the owner and administrator of an anonymous hosting site known as Freedom Hosting, is wanted by US authorities for charges relating to conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography. The 28-year-old, residing at Mountjoy Square in central Dublin, has been in custody since his arrest in August last year. He faces extradition for very serious offences, the possibility of being put on trial and a very lengthy sentence. Mr Justice John Edwards noted that Marques earned substantial sums of money over the past five to six years, with evidence showing approximately €1,098,000 in transfers to and from a Bank of America account. However, the judge stated that Marques' living expenses were modest, and the only sign of wealth was his possession of a BMW X5 Jeep. Despite this, large sums of money in various bank accounts were frozen by the FBI, and Marques claimed that unexplained funds were transferred to his former girlfriend and associates. The judge expressed difficulty in verifying these claims due to the lack of a paper trail. Marques' legal counsel, Mark Lynam BL, indicated that judicial review proceedings should commence on March 25, 2014. If convicted, Marques could face a sentence totaling 100 years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: "Largest facilitator of child porn in the world" refused legal aid. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 25 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2014-03-12 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Outcome: He faced extradition for very serious offences, the possibility of being put on trial and a very lengthy sentence.
Places mentioned
Topics
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