Father-of-two wanted to ‘try’ out a young girl on holiday

SPANISH police met with an Irishman after he made online comments that he had a sexual interest in young females and was going to “try” a 10-year old girl while on holiday, a court has heard.

In May 2018, they seized a mobile phone belonging to Liam Kelly (45) of Clonadrum, Mullagh, Co Clare and an analysis of the phone detected a small number of child pornography images.

Arising from the subsequent Garda investigation, the father-of-two pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child pornography still images and one video at his west Clare home in May 2018.

Sgt Claire Haugh of Ennis Garda Station told the court that during an interview Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online.

She said the images included naked females, some as young as two, and said a video showed a tenyear-old girl “removing her underwear in a provocative manner”.

Chat

Sgt Haugh said that Kelly stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.

An analysis of a laptop showed Kelly was “involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children”.

The officer said Kelly told them he was on such platforms “with a view to outing paedophiles”.

Sgt Haugh said that Gardai rejected this as an analysis of the laptop seized showed Kelly expressing a sexual interest in children.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL, said that there are references to “paedo” or “ped” in the online chats.

Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child pornography as “evil” ‘EVIL’: Liam Kelly made online comments about females

and described Kelly’s excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as “fairly implausible”.

In evidence, Sgt Haugh said it was South Wales police who initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Kelly and another man.

She said Kelly told the user he was going to Spain and said of a 10-year-old child “I am going to try her”.

The officer said it was “entirely reasonable to assume that Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child”.

Sgt Haugh said the South Wales police informed the Gardai who contacted their Spanish counterparts who then met with Kelly on May 23, 2018.

Judge Comerford said Kelly has showed no remorse and refused to attend a clinical psychologist.

The judge said: “I appreciate it is very difficult for the children of the accused. It isn’t good at all.

“But there is no basis for reporting restrictions. It is a particularly heinous crime.”

Kelly was remanded on bail and the case will be mentioned on March 8.