Complaints of media harassment lodged with local gardaí

CIRCUIT COURT judge Brian Curtin, the man at the centre of the collapsed child pornography case, has been seen in pubs in his hometown and in Dublin.

He has reportedly been sighted in a number of pubs in Tralee since the case against him collapsed last Friday.

And yesterday Judge Curtin, 52, visited Dublin where he had lunch in The Quill Pub on Church Street.

It had been widely speculated the Circuit Court judge had left the country last weekend.

Judge Curtin has been keeping a low profile and has visited some pubs in the town centre and Boherbee area of Tralee since then.

It is also understood that complaints that he has been harassed by the media have been lodged with local gardaí.

Journalists have been calling to his home in the Oakpark area, but he has not been answering the door.

Also, Judge Curtin has been turning down all requests for interviews.

Meanwhile, he is considering his response to a letter from the Government seeking an explanation for his alleged accessing and downloading of child pornography from a computer in his home.

The Government has requested an urgent response from Judge Curtin so as to enable it take an appropriate course of action at a Cabinet meeting next week.

Judge Curtin is still on full pay of €130,000 per year and his prospects of remaining in the job depend upon him satisfying the Government of no wrongdoing on his behalf.

The Government has indicated that he will not get any pay-off to resign, or receive any compensation if he is impeached.