Martin Guerin received suspended sentence for child pornography

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Martin Guerin received a fully suspended two-and-a-half-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing child pornography. Judge Martin Nolan passed sentence on 23 October 2019. The proceedings were reported on 23 October 2019.

Guerin, of Portmarnock Drive, Portmarnock, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his address on 17 September 2014.

Detective Garda Brian Pentony said gardaí received information from Interpol and traced the viewing of child pornography to Guerin’s home through an IP address. He said Guerin was absent when gardaí searched the home and seized electronic devices on 17 September 2014. That evening, Guerin attended Swords Garda Station, told gardaí they would find child pornography on the devices and took responsibility for downloading it.

The report said 901 images and 146 videos were found on a computer and an external hard drive. Det Garda Pentony agreed with defence counsel Philip Rahn that there was no suggestion of distribution, payment for the material or contact with children.

Judge Nolan said there were no aggravating factors and identified Guerin’s guilty plea, cooperation, immediate admissions, work history and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors. He suspended the sentence in full on condition that Guerin keep the peace and be of good behaviour for two and a half years.