Three people have appeared in court charged in connection with the sexual exploitation of four children at addresses in Co Kerry.
The three, two women and a man, were arrested at separate addresses in the county yesterday evening and appeared before Tralee District Court today.
The man, who is aged 36 years faces 142 charges of sexually exploiting and sexually assaulting a child.
These include 36 counts of obtaining or procuring a child for sexual exploitation; 34 charges of inviting, inducing, counselling or inciting a child to sexual touching; 34 counts of engaging in sexual activity in the presence or sight of a child under 17; 34 counts of sexual assault; and 4 counts of communication by means of information and communication technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child.
Garda Det Sgt Tom Bourke gave evidence of the man's arrest, charge and caution yesterday evening.
The State’s application was to remand the man on bail, subject to conditions.
The court was told that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial by indictment and that a Book of Evidence is being prepared.
Judge Treasa Kelly granted the application and remanded the man on bail on his own bond of €300, to appear before Tralee District Court on 3 September for service of the Book of Evidence, with conditions attached.
The second defendant, a 28-year-old woman, was charged with 9 counts of providing, offering, or promising to provide a child under 18 for another person for the purpose of sexual exploitation of a child.
The third defendant, a 46-year-old woman, faces 40 charges.
These include 33 charges of providing a child for sexual exploitation; 1 charge of possessing child pornography; 3 charges of producing child pornography and 3 charges of distributing child pornography.
Det Garda Mary McGinty gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in both cases.
Applications to remand both women on bail on their own bond of €300 to appear again before the district court on 3 September for service of the Book of Evidence, on conditions, was granted by Judge Kelly who also made it a condition of bail that the two women remain within the jurisdiction.
Free legal aid was granted to all three defendants, and Judge Kelly imposed reporting restrictions on anything that would identify the victims or witnesses in the case.
