Man named for illicit images

A man convicted of having images of child pornography on his computer has failed in a bid to keep his identity secret.

Judge Paul Kelly ruled that 44-year-old Neil McBride could be named when he admitted having 43 child pornography images on his Dell laptop. He also admitted having a further 51 images of children under 17 years of age who were either fully or partially clothed.

McBride tried to persuade Dungloe District Court that he was also a victim in another case in Donegal.

Following repeated submissions by Jacqui Sharkey, defending Judge Kelly said he was permitting the name to be published. It followed representations at an earlier hearing by NUJ member Cronan Scanlon, who argued that there was no legal basis for an original ordering banning McBride being identified. Mr Scanlon told the judge the case was “of great public interest”.

Ms Sharkey yesterday said she accepted it was of public interest and the media had a constitutional right, but she argued that with his name being published it was going to reveal he was one of the victims on the other case.

Judge Kelly said protection was not for offenders. It was to protect the victims in case they were linked to a defender. But the judge noted that in this case the victims could not be identified. For that reason, he was permitting McBride’s name to be published.

At the earlier hearing, McBride, an unemployed man with an address at Fortwell Apartments, Letterkenny, admitted possession of the child pornography images on his laptop in August 2011.

Ms Sharkey said McBride had been referred to a guidance counsellor and she was “quite anxious” to get a report on that for the court.

The case was adjourned until September 9.