Clondalkin man accused of 44 child pornography charges
By Brendan Grehan
A CLONDALKIN man accused of 44 child pornography charges has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court.
Matthew Horan was before Judge David McHugh in Blanchardstown District Court for service of his book of evidence.
Included in the 44 charges are eight charges of sexually exploiting children.
Horan is facing trial over his alleged contact with three girls aged between nine and 12, as well as having thousands of movies and images of child sexual abuse, including animation clips.
Horan, aged 25, with an address at St Johns Crescent, Clondalkin, is charged with eight counts of the sexual exploitation of children from his home address on dates in 2014 and 2015, 28 counts of distributing child pornography, six counts of possessing child pornography, one charge of encouraging the production of child pornography one charge of producing child pornography all at his home address on dates in 2014 and 2015.
The court had heard it will be alleged that a warrant was granted to search Horan’s home and 47 child pornographic images and 16 movies were found on one computer, 132 images and eight movies were found on another drive.
It will be alleged that 6,952 cartoon child pornographic images were found on one computer drive.
Three girls aged between nine and 12 were interviewed by child victim interviewers.
It was alleged they had contact with a man known by gardai to be the accused.
A Solicitor for the DPP told Judge McHugh that the book was ready to be served. She said the DPP had consented for Horan to be sent forward on charges one to 44 to the next sitting of Dublin Circuit Court.
Following an application from Horan’s solicitor, Judge McHugh granted legal aid for both a junior and a senior counsel. Judge McHugh told the court: “They are very serious matters”.
As part of his bail Horan must not use any computer device or phone or engage in any social media platform.
Judge McHugh sent Horan forward on bail to the next sitting of the Circuit Court.
