Gardaí quiz child porn offender over leaving country

GARDAÍ have questioned a 31-year-old man who failed to sign on the sex offenders’ register and who went missing from his home for more than three weeks without informing them of his whereabouts.

Colin Ashman, who on July 6 last was given a two-year suspended sentence for having 2,343 sexually explicit pictures of children on his computer, reappeared at his Co Cork home earlier this week.

A senior garda spokesman said Ashman had been told he must sign on the register and inform them of any change of address.

Ashman, who is originally from England, apparently told gardaí he was not made fully aware of the conditions attached to the suspended sentence, which included signing on the register. “As far as we are aware he was out of the country for three weeks. We’re investigating the possibility that he is in breach of the requirements of the law,” the spokesman said.

He added that Ashman, who lives near Rockchapel in north Cork, had promised to comply with the conditions.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said it was the first time they had come across a case where a person had failed to sign on the register and called for the law to be tightened to prevent it happening again.

ISPCC director of services Grace Kelly said: “We’re extremely concerned about this. The onus is presently on the individual to sign the register. We want the onus put on the State to ensure it’s done.”

Late last month, gardaí went to Ashman’s home at Tooreenfineen, Rock-chapel, but he was not there.

Ashman was also known to regularly stay with his German-born girlfriend at a house in Tralee. Checks were also made there but neither he or the woman could be found. It was then that they launched an investigation and contacted police in Britain.

His former partner and two children left Ashman a few years ago and went to live in Britain.

Ashman was caught for the child porn offence when gardaí went to his house on an unrelated matter and discovered the images on his computer.

Judge Patrick J Moran said at the trial that he considered Ashman’s case to be borderline between a custodial and non-custodial sentence.

He decided to take into account the fact that he had pleaded guilty quickly and was of previous good conduct. The judge also heard that he had sought psychiatric help for his problem.