There is an urgent need for tougher sentences for people found guilty of possessing child pornography material, an Aontú candidate has said. Becky Kealy, who is the party’s election candidate for the Kanturk LEA in next month’s local elections, said that too many suspended sentences were being handed down in cases of possession of child pornography – and that there needed to be a greater recognition that children were often beng sexually abused in making the material.
She says: “I find it greatly disturbing that so many individuals who are found to be in possession of material that sexualises innocent little children and minors are not being jailed, and instead are receiving suspended sentences. This graphic material is part of a worldwide pornographic industry which is responsible for the most terrible sexual abuse of children. Letting people off with suspended sentences when they are tried and convicted of this most egregious of crimes is sending out the wrong message as far as I’m concerned,” she said.
“Also, there is no pattern whatsoever in the sentencing. I accept that every case is different and has to be adjudged on its own, but I feel that there needs to be some minimum sentence at least, in order to reflect the seriousness of the crime”.
“We know that more and more people are accessing child pornography. We know that incidents of child sexual abuse in Ireland jumped during lockdown for instance and we know that there is a huge waiting list for children who have been abused to access the help and therapy they need”.
“We need to get tough on this sort of crime and ensure that sentences reflect its gravity”.
“Children are vulnerable, and they need protection. We must be their voice in order to protect them from sexual predators”.