Youth worker ordered child sex abuse images online

A WORKER at a juvenile residential unit has been given a suspended jail sentence for possession of images of child abuse.

Philip Devereux, 51, was tracked through his email address buying DVDs from a Canadian company involved in the distribution of videos and photos to paedophiles.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard gardaí recovered a laptop containing 24 images, a floppy disk containing six child sex stories, and 13 DVDs containing images of nude or partially nude pre-pubescent boys.

Bernard Condon, defending, said Devereux was working at a youth residential unit at the time Devereux ordered the images and was suspended without pay.

He did not identify where Devereux was working.

Judge Martin Nolan said he accepted the quantity of images in this investigation was not too great, but said it was nevertheless a serious case.

He noted that Devereux had pleaded guilty, co-operated with the gardaí and handed over his devices and passwords. He said Devereux had no prior record and had taken steps to address his problem.

The judge took into account a psychologist’s report, Devereux’s strong work history, and support from some members of his family.

Devereux, of St Michan’s House, Greek Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child abuse images at his home on January 9, 2013. He has no previous convictions.

Judge Nolan said the higher courts had given direction that in a case where an accused had no criminal record, and there was no distribution or other aggravating factors, then a non-custodial sentence should be considered.

Judge Nolan said in relation to Devereux he did not feel a custodial sentence was justified.

He imposed a two-and-a half-year sentence which he suspended in full.