A Wicklow man who may have seen himself as “an avenging angel” has been jailed for 18 months for having child abuse material on devices found at his home over seven years ago.
Stephen Bray (55) of Deerpark Walk, Blessington, Co Wicklow pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography at his address on August 11th, 2017 at a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday.
Inspector Shaun Durkan gave evidence that a mobile phone and laptop computer were seized during a search of the accused’s home after gardaí had received information from authorities outside Ireland.
Insp Durkan said Bray had expressed surprise at having his home searched by gardaí but did make admissions about accessing child abuse material which he said he viewed “every couple of weeks.”
He told counsel for the DPP, James Kelly BL, that an analysis of Bray’s mobile phone revealed he had engaged in “explicit conversations” with others via the Kik social media platform about sexual images of young girls aged 5 years and upwards that they had shared.
The witness noted that such conversations also constituted an offence in relation to child pornography.
Insp Durkan said a subsequent analysis of the defendant’s laptop found 76 images and videos, some of which contained “very explicit” material.
He said evidence of such material, which had been deleted, had been found in an inaccessible part of the device.
Insp Durkan said the analysis revealed that Bray had used specialist software to clear up the laptop on the day before the search of his home by gardaí.
He noted that the accused also used a web browser designed to make it difficult to trace a user’s activity and location.
When questioned by gardaí, Insp Durkan said Bray had claimed he was being targeted by a number of individuals who were sending him images but also that he was trying to identify others involved in sending such material.
Insp Durkan admitted the explanations being given by the accused were “very confusing.”
He told the court that gardaí found no evidence, as claimed by Bray, that he was being threatened via e-mail.
Insp Durkan said Bray had also provided a dossier to gardaí with information about the identity of other users and that “all avenues were exhausted by An Garda Síochána.”
Defence counsel, Eoin Gallagher BL, said a psychiatric report on the accused found he struggled to comprehend what had gone on and to accept responsibility for what he described as “a hideous offence.”
Mr Gallagher said it was also striking that Bray was found to lack insight into his offending given that he himself had been sexually abused as a child by a teacher and had suffered mental health problems.
However, he pointed out that the report had also assessed the defendant as being at a low risk of reoffending.
Pleading for leniency, Mr Gallagher said it was a “very dark and very difficult case” but highlighted that Bray had no previous convictions and had raised his son on his own following his wife’s death.
He noted that Bray had passed some information to gardaí in a situation where he might have seen himself “as an avenging angel.”
The barrister said it seemed that Bray was trying to explain that he had wanted “to engage with people to stop this”, although he accepted gardaí took “a particular view” on such a claim.
“He does not see the world as the rest of us do,” said Mr Gallagher.
However, he said Bray was supported by his partner and his son who had provided character references.
Sentencing the accused to two years in prison for each offence to run concurrently, Judge Patrick Quinn suspended the final six months on a number of strict conditions.
They include that Bray engages with appropriate expert services to address his lack of insight into his offending and to identify his treatment needs.
