A 55-year-old man has been in court in Cork charged in connection with the single biggest seizure of pornographic images of children during Operation Amethyst.
Francis Daams is a Dutch national who has been living in Ireland for more than 20 years. On 27 May 2002 detectives raided his home at School Road, Durrus, in West Cork and seized two computers.
The hard drives of the computers were analysed and were found to contain 11,534 images of child pornography, including children engaged in sexual activity.
Detective Sergeant Gerry McCarthy told the District Court in Bandon that he arrested Francis Daams at his home this morning and charged him with possession of the pornographic images.
He said Francis Daams made no reply to the charge.
State Solicitor Malachy Boohig said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the trial would take place in the Circuit Court, rather than the District Court.
Mr Daams was granted free legal aid after the court was told he was living on a carer's allowance. Judge Terence Finn remanded him on bail of €5,000. He will be back in court in Bantry next Friday.
