Technician discovered child porn video on client’s phone
By Fiona Ferguson
A child porn video was discovered on the phone of a Nigerian father of two by a technician after the man left it in to be repaired, a court has heard.
Julius Medeiros (55) said he had been sent a text message asking him if he wanted to see the video and he had replied yes, so the video was sent to him. He has no previous convictions.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Medeiros, of Cooley Road, Drimnagh, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography at the Vodafone store, Henry Street, on September 2, 2013.
Garda Damien Egan told Garret McCormack BL, prosecuting, that Medeiros had left his phone in to be repaired and the technician who discovered the video alerted gardai.
A follow-up search found a second video on another phone and a third video on a computer at Medeiros’s home. He took ownership of all the material.
James Dwyer SC, defending, said Medeiros had a good work history, including working in journalism for seven years in Nigeria prior to coming to Ireland.
He said Medeiros was an active member of his church and community. He handed in a large number of testimonials and letters from family and friends of Medeiros.
Judge Martin Nolan noted the court had previously dealt with cases where the volume of images were far greater and the nature of the images more extreme.
He said, however, that this was “not a victimless crime for obvious reasons.”
Judge Nolan took into account that were no general aggravating factors, that Medeiros had good references and was a hard-working man who had taken care of his family all his life.
Judge Nolan imposed an 18-month sentence which he suspended in full.
