Man caught distributing child sexual abuse images at his Cork home avoids jail

Offences date back to May 2018 and accused at low risk of reoffending, court told

Judge imposed a total sentence of10 months on the accused man, David Boettcher of Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, and suspended it on condition he would not commit any other offence in the next two years. File picture: Larry Cummins

A 60-year-old American caught distributing child pornography at his home in Cork more than five years ago was not sentenced until Monday, when he got a suspended term.

David Boettcher’s solicitor Shane Collins-Daly, said: “The probation assessment is that he is a low risk of reoffending. He was never in trouble in his life before or since. This has been weighing heavily on this man every day since.” 

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a total sentence of10 months on the accused man, David Boettcher of Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, and suspended it on condition he would not commit any other offence in the next two years.

He was sentenced for two counts of distribution of child pornography, to which he pleaded guilty. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed it was only on a plea of guilty that the matter could be dealt with at Cork District Court and that if it had to go to trial it would have been by judge and jury.

The charges relate to his home address on two separate dates, May 14 2018, and June 4, 2018. Each charge stated he did knowingly distribute any child pornography or knowingly show it or facilitate its distribution.

Detective Garda Craig Peterson also charged David Boettcher with possession of child pornography, to which he also pleaded guilty.

This refers to September 29, 2018, at his home on Lower Glanmire Road, when he had possession of 212 images of child pornography.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the possession of child pornography related to a total of 212 images, of which 117 were category one images — the most serious category of such images depicting children involved in or observing sexual acts.

Mr Collins-Daly said of Boettche: “He is an American. He grew up in Nebraska and Colorado. He moved to Ireland in the 1980s, he was never in any trouble in his life. He had worked in IT. He is a carer for his wife. He was quite isolated socially.

“These offences date back to May 2018. There had been a significant delay in processing cases of this kind. This has been weighing on him, essentially since May 2018.” 

Judge Olann Kelleher said earlier this year when the he adjourned sentencing for a probation report: “It is a very serious charge, he is at serious risk of prison.”