Former instructor jailed for possessing 162 wicked baby sexual abuse movies and pictures

A former secondary college music instructor has been jailed after admitting possessing wicked movies and pictures of adults sexually abusing youngsters as younger as three.

Sam Kavanagh, (30), with an tackle at Kilkerric, Derrymore East, Tralee, Co Kerry, was arrested by gardaí after being alerted to his offense by US authorities.

One among 162 movies and pictures discovered on a laptop computer and onerous drive belonging to Kavanagh concerned a three-year-old woman, who was videotaped together with her genitals and anal space uncovered for the sexual gratification of viewers, Limerick Circuit Legal Court docket heard.

Kavanagh was recognized after utilizing his personal private e mail tackle to handle a ‘Dropbox’ on-line storage folder to obtain and retailer the unlawful sexual materials.

He pleaded responsible to 2 counts of possession of specific materials between September and December 2021.

Gardaí found 137 movies and 25 photographs, most of which have been categorised as “class 1” baby sexual abuse materials, the “most excessive” kind, a Garda detective instructed the court docket.

Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan mentioned gardaí established that Kavanagh was a secondary college music instructor who lived within the Patrickswell space of ​​Co Limerick.

Gardaí later obtained a search warrant for an tackle in Shannon Banks, Corbally, Co Clare, and searched the property on December 17, 2021, recovering a laptop computer and a pc onerous drive containing the express materials.

Kavanagh instantly confessed that the units belonged to him and he admitted possessing, saving, sustaining and storing the kid pornography materials which he mentioned he had downloaded from a web site referred to as ‘Mega’, based mostly in New Zealand.

Mr O’Sullivan mentioned one of many photographs discovered on Kavanagh’s units was of an “grownup male” participating in “specific sexual exercise” with “a younger feminine aged 5”.

One of many movies confirmed a “three-year-old woman mendacity on a mattress the place her genitals and anal space are uncovered.”

Some paperwork confirmed underage youngsters concerned in sexual exercise with youthful youngsters.

Mr O’Sullivan mentioned the movies and pictures are held in the USA however have been shared with members of Garda On-line’s baby exploitation unit, who in flip offered them to connected gardaí on the Limerick Divisional Protecting Companies Unit (DPSU) at Henry Road Garda. Station, as a part of a “mutual help” settlement between Eire and the USA.

Kavanagh was arrested on December 14, 2022 and he appeared within the circuit court docket for trial on a signed responsible plea on October 31 of this yr.

Mr O’Sullivan mentioned Kavanagh grew up in County Kerry, accomplished a grasp’s diploma in music, lectured in music and “performs music as a interest and is concerned in a band, and he has taught music to the kids of Limerick.

“His mother and father separated when he was younger, he suffered from anxiousness and he began pornography, and he began baby pornography,” Mr O’Sullivan mentioned.

Sam Kavanagh, (30), with an tackle in Kilkerric, Derrymore East, Tralee, Co Kerry, exterior Limerick Circuit Legal Court docket the place he was jailed for 16 months after pleading responsible to 2 counts of cost of possession of kid pornography. Picture by Brendan Gleeson

The court docket heard that Kavanagh, final identified to have labored in a warehouse, was hospitalized following a suicide try after Gardaí seized his digital units.

“He initially did not contemplate it baby abuse, he engaged with ‘(SALT) Intercourse & Love Remedy’ counseling providers and he now regrets his actions and says it is disgusting” , Mr O’Sullivan mentioned.

Kavanagh’s lawyer, Caroline O’Connell, instructed by barrister Eimear Griffin, requested the court docket to contemplate imposing a suspended sentence, including that Kavanagh had adopted counseling and “made nice efforts to resolve his issues.

“He’s married. He’s extraordinarily ashamed and remorseful,” Ms O’Connell mentioned.

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Choose Colin Daly mentioned Kavanagh “sought out and used it (the express materials) and that “very susceptible and harmless youngsters have been used and abused for the sexual gratification of Mr Kavanagh and others”.

“On the time he (Kavanagh) was a music instructor ready of belief and affect with younger youngsters.”

Having considered Kavanagh’s signed responsible plea; good earlier character; his age and household state of affairs; and within the case of psychological well being points he was affected by on the time, the choose diminished the general sentence from two and a half years to 16 months for every rely, to run concurrently.

The choose ordered that Kavanagh be positioned on a intercourse offenders’ register for a interval of 10 years and that the sentences be backdated to October 31, 2024, when Kavanagh first appeared in court docket with a signed plea.