Ex-Dept of Justice official avoids jail over child abuse material

A former Department of Justice press officer who admitted possessing child abuse material has been handed a fully suspended prison sentence.

Judge Martin Nolan noted that possession of child abuse material is a “serious matter”, but said that the amount of material in this case is “probably on the lower side of what the court deals with”. He said Colgan had a “good position in life” before this offending and has been subject to “public odium”, ridicule and some harassment, which was “unlawful and shouldn't have occurred”.

Detective Garda Alan Young told Tessa White BL, prosecuting, that Colgan's address was searched on the evening of February 1, 2022. Gardai had obtained a search warrant for the property on foot of information from the online child exploitation unit. Det Gda Young agreed with Ronan Kennedy SC, defending, that Colgan was working remotely from home at the time of the search. The witness agreed Colgan made certain admissions following caution and was co-operative with gardai during the search and investigation.

Colgan is carrying out casual work and is in education. The witness accepted Mr Kennedy's suggestion that Colgan is unlikely to return to employment of the type he had before his offending came to light.

Department Of Justice Dublin

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