Child porn teacher can't be named

Publication of the identity of a former teacher who used pornographic videos to influence young boys under the influence of cannabis when giving them private grinds has been prohibited by order of Judge Desmond Hogan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The 55-year-old man pleaded guilty to one count of gross indecency on a male person under the age of 17 between March 19, 1995 and June 7, 1995.

He also admitted possession of child pornography in the form of a video cassette of himself engaging in oral sex on a young child and a postcard of a naked male adult exposing his genitals to three young boys, and possession of cannabis resin for sale or supply on February 8, 2002.

Detective Sergeant Gerald Feeney told Mr Paul Burns, prosecuting, that when gardaí raided the man's north Dublin home they found a "minor cinema" in his attic with a camera and television set up and over 900 videos.

About 300 of the videos were of gay pornography, while most of the remaining were of straight porn. The gardai also discovered a quantity of cannabis resin in the house and a number of sexually explicit sketches and postcards of naked men exposing their genitals to young boys.

Judge Hogan adjourned sentencing to January 27, 2004 and banned publication of the man's identity, his address, any reference to people that could identify him or the location of the offences.

He said he had a number of matters to consider including the chance of re-offending.

He also ordered a probation report, an updated medical report and a report from the Granada Institute.

Det Sgt Feeney said the man gave the drugs to boys when giving private lessons and made them watch the videos. He got one boy high and recorded himself performing oral sex on him.

Gardaí seized a few videos of him performing indecent acts on young boys and he gave them the names of three victims. Only one of them was willing to speak to the gardai.

Det Sgt Feeney said the man became very nervous and upset during the search but later outlined the extent of his involvement. He said he developed a fondness for cannabis while visiting Amsterdam a number of years ago.

He said he didn't sell it but gave it out free to young boys because he just enjoyed their company.

He added that he bought pornographic videos of young boys from a man he met in a sex shop on Georges St near Dublin city centre.

He said he taught maths and junior science in two different schools for a number of years. However, he started teaching grinds full time after he was forced to retire because he developed progressive deafness. He has since been diagnosed as an alcoholic and a manic depressive.

When gardaí interviewed the young boy he said he received grinds for his Junior Cert in 1995. He was given the hash to smoke and shown pornographic videos by the man.

The boy revealed to gardaí that the man performed oral sex on him one day when he was "high" but when he was shown the video of the act he felt disgusted and satisfied that he had been sexually abused. He ordered him to destroy the video.

Det Sgt Feeney said that the victim was very traumatised about the whole affair and just wanted to put it all behind him. He never told anyone about the offences until the gardaí contacted him seven years later because he thought his parents would think he was weird.

Mr Patrick Gageby SC, defending, pleaded for leniency because his client was the sole carer for his 92-year-old mother and was in great ill-health. He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and outlined in great detail his involvement when he was questioned by the gardaí.