Serial sex offender had 334 child porn images

A sex offender who moved back to Ireland after committing a series of offences in England has appeared in court on child porn charges.

Hugh McBride, aged 60, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on a laptop at his address in Letterkenny, on August 22, 2013.

His barrister, Shane Costello SC, said this was not a “run-of-the-mill” child pornography case.

Letterkenny Circuit Court was told McBride was already under a supervision order and was being monitored by gardaí every six weeks. He is currently on the sex offender’s register.

McBride served a five-year jail sentence for sex attacks on boys in England and was deported to Ireland in 2002.

A further sex attack came to light in 2012 and he was extradited back to England and jailed for 18 months.

The judge at that case at Maidstone Crown Court wanted to jail McBride for a much lengthier period.

However, the maximum sentence for indecency with a child in 1989 was two years. It has since been increased to a starting point of 13 years.

A previous court heard McBride had 334 images of child pornography when detected by gardaí.

Judge John Aylmer remanded McBride on continuing bail until the next sitting of the court for sentencing and agreed to a request for a probation report.