A man who offered child pornography computer files to a detective operating in the Garda Internet monitoring unit may escape a jail sentence if he continues to co-operate with the Granada Institute.
Mark McElwee (33), of The Laurels, Dundrum, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last June to two counts of knowingly distributing and possessing child pornography on July 19th and August 10th, 1999 respectively. The court heard evidence then of McElwee's arrest at his home when gardai found 410 pornographic images on 17 floppy disks and a hard drive.
Sentence was adjourned pending a psychiatric report from the Granada Institute. This has been given to Judge Yvonne Murphy by Mr Erwan Mill-Arden SC, defending.
Judge Murphy said she felt positive progress could be made in the case if he continued to co-operate with the institute, and she was reluctant to impose a sentence.
She adjourned sentencing until November 13th.