Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 22112Possession of child pornography; distribution of child sex abuse material · Co. Dublin · 1 Nov 2021

Constantin Maxim jailed for five years for child pornography offences in Dublin

Constantin Maxim, 48, a former Romanian soldier, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing 1,458 images of child pornography on his mobile phone and distributing child sex abuse material, after posing as a teenage girl on Snapchat and Facebook to engage with children aged 10 to 12.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced2 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMaxim pleaded guilty to possessing 1,458 images of child pornography on his mobile phone. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe posed as a teenage girl on Snapchat and Facebook to engage with children. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe used Facebook to pose as a 15-year-old girl called Christina and sent sexually explicit messages to three children aged 10 to 12. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOne child sent him sexualised images of herself. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe phone also contained 12,000 images of adult and bestiality pornography. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe distribution offences occurred in November and December 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí received information in May 2022 that a Facebook account and multiple Snapchat accounts had been used to upload the material. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA warrant was obtained to search his apartment at Dorset Street Lower, Dublin city. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe admitted distributing or disseminating a hand-drawn image and three videos of child sex abuse material. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to 7 July 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe previously served a prison sentence in Romania for sexual corruption and abduction of a minor for sexual purposes. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe had a 20-year career with the Romanian defence forces and served twice with NATO in Iraq. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe worked as a cleaner in the Mater Hospital until he lost his job in June 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has no previous convictions in Ireland but four convictions from Romania. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe suffers from PTSD after his army experiences in Iraq. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has Type 1 Diabetes and is impotent. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe speaks no English and has no family in Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe has three children in their 20s in Romania and an elderly mother in poor health. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 2 Mar2023
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Ex-soldier who posed as girl on Snapchat to 'catfish' children is jailed

    Sentencing report: Maxim pleaded guilty, received a five-year sentence backdated to 7 July 2022, and was placed on the sex offenders' register. Details of the catfishing, phone search, and his Romanian criminal history are provided.

    convicted, Constantin Maxim, 48, male, Romanian, named, non-irishConstantin Maxim