A 54-year-old former local authority official has received a four year suspended sentence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for having what was described as 'some of the worst and grossly offensive' images of child abuse in his possession.
Judge Patrick Moran told David Ivers, of Rathcoursey, Midleton, who had pleaded guilty, that his reaction when he viewed some of these 13,845 images was one 'approaching horror'.
The judge said these children were very seriously violated by people benefiting financially from people like Ivers downloading these images and he did not know what long-term effects they would have on their future.
But having read the reports from the Granada Institute, Ivers own psychiatrist, and his elderly mother's GP, as well as hearing from gardaí that he did not pose a threat to the community, the judge handed down a four year suspended sentence on condition that he continue under the direction of the Granada Institute for two years and allow gardaí to visit his home when they see fit.
Investigating gardaí alerted by the owners of German website Carookee.com discovered 13,845 images of child abuse on his computer as well as 1,834 movie files.
Ivers, who was described in court as having suicidal tendencies, is the sole carer of his 84-year-old widowed mother.
Employed by Cork City Council for 30 years, he was chief technician in the Architect's Department until the case first came to light and he has since taken early retirement.
