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Judge John Martin said the case involved the sexual exploitation of “thousands and thousands and thousands” of young boys.
A 59-year-old man has been jailed for three years at Trim Circuit Court after pleading guilty to the possession of child sex abuse material.
A Garda giving evidence in a case agreed with a prosecuting barrister that the force was hugely concerned that Tusla did not act immediately when it received a complaint about the case.
Niall McLoughlin (59) with an address at Fr Flood Park, Dunderry, Co Meath, pleaded guilty to possession of child abuse material on three dates in 2024.
Detective Garda Jaime McKeown told the court that the accused was a former teacher in a school in Kells.
She said that during a search at the accused’s house in June 2024, five electronic devices were seized. A tablet had 5,850 images. There were also 129 videos. Boys aged between five and 14 were shown in the material and scenes of sexual activity with adults and other children were shown.
Garda McKeown agreed with prosecuting counsel that contact had been made with Tusla and the accused removed from his teaching position but it was of huge concern to Gardaí that Tusla had not acted immediately on the complaint.
Judge John Martin said the case involved the sexual exploitation of “thousands and thousands and thousands” of young boys. The fact that he was a teacher in a mixed school was a disturbing feature of the case.
The judge sentenced accused to three years and a half years imprisonment with the final six months suspended with conditions.
He also ordered that accused be placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
