CHRIS FAHEY FROM BALLINA, CO TIPPERARY, SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IMAGES IN COUNTY TIPPERARY

In October 2007, a man identified as Chris Fahey, aged 49, from McKeoghs, Main Street, Ballina, Co Tipperary, faced serious allegations related to the possession of child exploitation material. The case came to light after a Vodafone employee noticed suspicious activity on Fahey's mobile phone, prompting an investigation that would reveal disturbing evidence.

Detective Garda Geraldine Goldrick, representing the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, testified before Killaloe District Court that the Vodafone staff member's concerns were triggered by the use of certain search terms on Fahey's device. These terms raised alarm bells and led to a more thorough examination of the phone's contents.

Subsequent forensic analysis uncovered that Fahey had accessed a website containing images depicting children engaged in sexual acts. The investigation confirmed that the mobile phone held a total of 74 illicit images, which are considered highly serious under Irish law. Fahey was formally charged under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998, reflecting the gravity of his actions.

During the court proceedings, Judge Joseph Mangan assessed the severity of the images involved. He indicated that, on a scale from one to five—where five signifies the most severe—the images would fall between three and four, with the judge leaning towards the higher end of that range. This assessment underscores the disturbing nature of the material Fahey possessed.

Fahey's legal representative, solicitor Ted McCarthy, emphasized that his client had no prior criminal record and had entered a guilty plea at an early stage of the proceedings. McCarthy also highlighted that Fahey had cooperated fully with Gardaí during the investigation and described the incident as a 'one-off' occurrence.

In delivering his sentence, Judge Mangan acknowledged Fahey's lack of previous convictions, his early plea, and his cooperation, which influenced the relatively lenient punishment of one month in jail. However, the court also considered the seriousness of the offence.

Furthermore, the prosecution requested that Fahey be recorded as a sex offender and be added to the sexual offenders register under the provisions of the Sexual Offenders Act 2001, reflecting the ongoing concern regarding his conduct and the potential risk to the community.