A Waterford man has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for the possession of child pornography, including photographs and videos he made of children affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster who had stayed at his home on holidays.
John Peppard (52), of Mount Melleray, Cappoquin, appeared before Carlow Circuit Court for sentencing today after he pleaded guilty to the offences earlier this week.
Judge Alice Doyle said Peppard's behaviour was "a gross abuse" of the children.
The judge ordered that Peppard's name be added to the register of sex offenders for 10 years and that he be banned from having young children stay at his home.
She suspended the final six months of the jail sentence in the hope that Peppard may be rehabilitated. The judge also ordered that he have nothing to do with the Chernobyl Children Appeal Ireland charity for 10 years.
Peppard, a sweetshop owner and retired insurance company employee was charged with possessing obscene and explicit photographs of naked children under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act.
He is single and a former scout leader and runs a souvenir and confectionery shop near the entrance to Mount Melleray monastery.
Peppard had been involved in bringing children to Ireland from Belarus since 1995 and provided four- to eight-week holidays in his home for boys aged 10-14.
In June 2003, Akram Hanna, a chemist in Lismore, Co Waterford, alerted gardaí after he became concerned about the nature of photographs which had been left in to be developed for Mr Peppard.
Gardaí believe the photographs were taken in Waterford and in Belarus which Peppard had visited "up to three times a year".