Isolation blamed for child porn addiction

A retired cobbler living in a bubble of isolation stumbled into an addiction to internet child pornography but now he would rather kill himself than look at such material again.

That was how defence barrister Sinead Behan described the actions of 56-year-old Gerard Aher, of Wolfe Tone Street, Cork.

Judge David Riordan imposed a sentence of two and a half years with the last two years suspended. The judge said gardaí should have the right to inspect his computer in the future.

Judge Riordan said: “There are mitigating factors. He did co-operate with gardaí from the very get-go. He does not have a TV and uses internet to view TV. He is a man of 56. He is a retired cobbler, living quite a solitary life.

“He had a friendship with someone with whom he would go to a club but now that has completely foundered and he is now singularly isolated.

“He did not distribute images or share images, he certainly did not generate the images.

“Ms Behan said he was addicted to this behaviour. He has [according to the probation report] very little social outlets outside of the internet.

“He indicated he deserved to have these matters visited on him. He has shown victim empathy.”

Aher pleaded guilty to possession of the images three years ago. Detective Garda Michael Lynch who forensically examined his computers, memory sticks and external hard drives confirmed that a lot of the images downloaded by the accused were of children in various degrees of nakedness and in sexual poses.

Ms Behan BL said: “He is genuinely remorseful. He had engaged with Safer Lives [rehabilitation programme].

“He is utterly ashamed, utterly remorseful and very anxious to take whatever steps to make sure this would never happen again.”