Dublin: A Midlands man, in his 30s, has been refused bail after appearing in Dublin District Court on charges related to the online sexual exploitation, blackmail, and production of child abuse material involving a 12-year-old girl in Poland.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested by the Garda National Protective Services Unit (GNPSU) in Dublin, where he had been residing. He faces serious charges, including two counts of possession of child pornography, sexual exploitation of a child, and organising a child for production and distribution of child pornography. The maximum sentences for these convictions are five or 14 years.
Details of Alleged Exploitation
Detective Sergeant Catherine Curtin objected to bail, citing the strength of the evidence. The court heard that a search of the accused’s family home in the Midlands resulted in the seizure of a Samsung mobile phone containing 1,089 images and 292 videos of child abuse material. A subsequent search yielded another phone with several hundred more images classified as child pornography.
The connected sexual exploitation charge alleges that between October 30, 2022, and January 10, 2023, the man contacted the young girl in Poland through social media, pretending to be a young male.
- The girl was allegedly persuaded to send naked pictures of herself.
- The accused then reportedly began to blackmail her, demanding more sexual images and videos under the threat that “the files will be posted online if she did not cooperate.”
Data analysis of the seized phones led to the identification of the victim. One of the devices reportedly contained a picture of the child’s passport, confirming that the accused was aware of her true age.
“BM Stands for Blackmail”
Further evidence presented to the court involved chat logs. The accused was allegedly found in a Telegram chat asking another user to open an online cloud folder of intimate images. Detective Sergeant Curtin stated that the accused told the second user, “I can BM her,” clarifying that “BM stands for blackmail.”
It was also alleged that the man:
- Offered to sell images of the same girl to another male user.
- Controlled and directed her activities for the production of child pornography, using multiple Snapchat accounts to “coerce her into making numerous images and videos under his direction.”
- Gained access to her Snapchat account and contacts after she sent him her password.
The detective sergeant expressed fear of a risk of similar offences if the man was released.
Court Proceedings
The accused made no reply when charged and did not address the court. His solicitor, Margaret MacEvilly, raised issues regarding the delay in commencing the prosecutions and disputed claims that her client had been disowned by his family, adding that he was attending counselling.
Judge Derek Cooney remanded the man in custody to appear again next week to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Legal aid was granted.
