Spanish police intervened and met with a man from West Clare after being alerted that he said online that he had a sexual interest in young girls and was going to 'try' a 10-year-old girl while on holiday in Spain, a court has heard.
In May 2018, Spanish police also seized a mobile phone belonging to 'family man', Liam Kelly (45), of Clonadrum, Mullagh, Co Clare. Analysis of the phone found a small number of child abuse images.
Arising from a subsequent Garda investigation, the father of two has pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to the possession of three child pornography still images and one video at his home in West Clare in May 2018.
Sergeant Claire Haugh, of Ennis Garda station, told the court that during a garda interview Kelly had denied viewing the images he had received online from a UK national.
Sgt Haugh said the images included individual naked females, aged between two and five. Sgt Haugh said a video showed a girl aged nine or 10 "removing her underwear in a provocative manner".
Sgt Haugh said Kelly had stated in a 2018 online chat that he was sexually interested in girls aged from eight to 13.
Analysis of a laptop showed that Kelly was "involved in various chat-rooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children," the court was told.
Sgt Haugh said Kelly told gardaí that he was on such platforms "with a view to outing paedophiles".
Sgt Haugh said gardaí rejected this claim, as analysis of the seized laptop showed the accused expressing a sexual interest in young children.
'Paedo'
Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly Bl, said there are references to 'paedo' or 'ped' in the online chats.
Judge Francis Comerford described engagement with child abuse imagery as "evil", describing Kelly's excuse that he was trying to entrap predatory paedophiles as "nonsense" and "fairly implausible".
In evidence, Sgt Haugh said it was police from South Wales who initially discovered the online chat in May 2018 between Kelly and another man which ultimately resulted in the intervention by Spanish police.
Sgt Haugh said Kelly told the other user that he was going to Spain the following day, and said about a 10-year-old girl: "I am going to try her".
Sgt Haugh said: "In the context of earlier exchanges, it was entirely reasonable to assume that Mr Kelly was intent on engaging in sexual activity with this child."
The garda said police in South Wales informed Gardaí of the matter through Interpol, and officers here in turn contacted their Spanish counterparts, who met with Kelly at his hotel on May 23rd, 2018.
"There is no evidence that the child in Spain on holidays was put at risk, but talking in those terms is revolting," Judge Comerford said.
Sgt Haugh said the online chat between Kelly and the man from the UK comprised of 153 messages discussing sexual activity with young girls.
Sgt Haugh said that while Kelly was in Spain, Detective Garda John Casey secured a search warrant to search Kelly’s home in Mullagh.
Mr Connolly said that while analysis of a laptop at Kelly's home did not yield any child abuse images, it did indicate the user was "involved in various chatrooms that were indicative of a sexual interest in children".
Mr Connolly said that in one online chat, there was evidence of 32 users online simultaneously, and Kelly had different private chats with people with various handles with a sexual interest in children.
Sgt Haugh agreed with Mr Connolly that the private chats under Kelly's user handle were "indicative of sharing thoughts and views and encouraging an interest in paedophilia".
Sgt Haugh said r Kelly has no previous convictions and is an Applied Physics and Electronics graduate and works for a manufacturing company.
'Family man'
Counsel for Kelly, Bernard Madden SC, instructed by solicitor John Casey, described his client as "a family man", adding there was no evidence of financial gain out of this matter, and no history of violence.
Mr Madden said that since the images were discovered six years ago, Kelly has not come to any further garda attention.
Mr Madden asked that Kelly, who has no previous convictions, be further remanded on bail to allow him to receive treatment.
Judge Comerford acceded to the application "with no promises", and warned that if Kelly does not avail of treatment "he will be going to jail, it is as simple as that".
Judge Comerford noted that Kelly has shown no remorse, "and his wife wanted him to engage with a clinical psychologist, but he didn’t want to do that".
Judge Comerford lifted reporting restrictions in the case despite Mr Madden expressing concern over the impact Kelly's identification may have on his children.
However, the judge said identification is part of the deterrent effect against such offences.
"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," Judge Comerford said, remanding Kelly on continuing bail.
The case will be mentioned again on March 8th at Ennis Circuit Court.
