Ireland Case No. 5920Possession of child abuse material · Co. Dublin · 1 Feb 2022
Former DOJ official sentenced for child abuse material in Dublin
Niall Colgan, a man aged 39 (reports differ, 38) and former Department of Justice press officer, was charged in August 2023 with possessing child abuse material and cannabis at his home in Perrystown, Dublin 12, on 1 February 2022. The material, two videos and two images, was found on his personal phone after gardaí executed a search warrant obtained from the online child exploitation unit. Colgan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in February 2024 and was sentenced on 7 May 2024 to a one-year prison term suspended in full on strict conditions, plus five years on the sex offenders register.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court7 Sep
4 reports - Convicted19 Feb
2 reports - Sentenced7 May
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A former Department of Justice press officer was charged with possessing child abuse material and cannabis at his home.
- Where
- The offence is alleged to have taken place at Colgan's home in Muckross Park, Perrystown, Dublin 12.
- When
- The offence is alleged to have occurred on 1 February 2022; Colgan was charged in August 2023 and first appeared at Dublin District Court on 14 August 2023.
- Investigation
- Gardaí obtained a search warrant based on information from the online child exploitation unit and seized devices including an iPhone, on which the material was subsequently found.
- Charges
- Colgan is charged under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998 with possessing child abuse material (initially described as two videos and eight images, later as two videos and two images) and with simple possession of cannabis.
- In court
- The DPP directed trial on indictment; Colgan pleaded guilty to one count at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 19 February 2024.
- Sentence
- Judge Martin Nolan handed Colgan a one-year prison sentence suspended in full on strict conditions and ordered five years on the sex offenders register.
- Other details
- Colgan, a man aged 39 (reports differ, 38), has no previous convictions, was assessed as low risk of re-offending, was suspended from his civil service role and has since resigned.
- The material was found on one device, Colgan's personal phone, among an extensive collection of adult pornography.
- A small amount of cannabis valued at around €300 was also found at the property.
80 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA Department of Justice official has appeared in court charged with possessing child abuse material and cannabis. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatColgan is charged with possessing two videos and eight images of child abuse material at his home. (rte.ie)
- whatNiall Colgan is accused of possessing child abuse images and videos. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA former Department of Justice press officer pleaded guilty to possessing child-abuse material. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe material was two videos and two images. (irishtimes.com)
- whatColgan pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child pornography, in the form of two indecent videos and two indecent images of children. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whereHe is accused of possessing child abuse material at his home in Muckross Park, Perrystown. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereColgan is of Muckross Park, Perrystown, Dublin 12. (irishtimes.com)
- whereColgan lives at Muckross Park, Perrystown, Dublin 12. (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
- whereThe offence took place at Colgan's home address. (irishtimes.com)
- whereColgan lives in Muckross Park, Perrystown, Dublin 12. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged offences happened at his Dublin home on 1 February 2022. (dublinlive.ie)
- whenColgan was charged with the offences in August 2023 and first appeared at Dublin District Court on 14 August 2023. (rte.ie)
- whenThe offences are alleged to have taken place on 1 February 2022. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe offence was alleged to have taken place on February 1st, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offence was committed on February 1st, 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe material was possessed at his home on 1 February 2022. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe offence was at his home on 1 February 2022. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationColgan was excused from appearing in person because the book of evidence was not ready. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe book of evidence was still being typed and was expected to be ready in two weeks. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí had a search warrant for the property, based on information from the online child exploitation unit. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationA number of devices, including an iPhone, were seized during the search. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe child abuse material was found after an analysis of the iPhone. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí obtained a search warrant after information from the online child exploitation unit. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDevices including an iPhone were seized during the search. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe is charged under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeHe is charged with knowingly possessing two videos and eight images of alleged child abuse material. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeHe is charged with simple possession of cannabis, not possession with intent to supply. (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeThe offence is contrary to the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998. (rte.ie)
- chargeColgan is also accused of possessing cannabis at his home on 1 February 2022. (rte.ie)
- chargeColgan was charged with possessing two videos and eight images of child abuse material. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe child abuse material offence is contrary to Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeColgan is also charged with possessing cannabis at his home on the same date. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe offence is contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeColgan pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe man pleaded guilty to a child abuse material charge. (extra.ie)
- courtHe appeared in Dublin District Court on 14 August 2023. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtHe is due back before Dublin District Court on 21 September. (dublinlive.ie)
- courtA judge directed Colgan to appear in court to be served with the book of evidence. (rte.ie)
- courtThe DPP has directed trial on indictment, so the case is to be sent forward to the higher circuit criminal court. (rte.ie)
- courtColgan has yet to enter a plea. (rte.ie)
- courtThere was no objection to bail. (rte.ie)
- courtJudge Alan Mitchell directed Colgan to attend court the next day and remanded him on continuing bail to appear again at Dublin District Court on 5 October. (rte.ie)
- courtColgan was excused from attending Dublin District Court on the day of the hearing. (thejournal.ie)
- courtJudge Alan Mitchell directed Colgan to come to court on 5 October for the next stage of proceedings. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge remanded Colgan on continuing bail and ordered him to attend, with his solicitor to notify him. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtColgan was excused from attending his case at Dublin District Court on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtColgan was granted bail on August 14th. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Alan Mitchell directed Colgan to come to court on October 5th for the next stage of the proceedings. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJudge Mitchell remanded the accused on continuing bail to appear on October 5th but ordered he attend. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe book of evidence would be ready in two weeks, according to a State solicitor. (irishtimes.com)
- courtA book of evidence must be served on the accused before the District Court grants a return for trial order. (irishtimes.com)
- courtColgan pleaded guilty to one count at court on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
- courtDefence counsel asked for time for a report to be prepared. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe sentence was imposed at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceJudge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of May 7th, when the full facts will be heard. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceJudge Martin Nolan handed Colgan a one-year prison sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- sentenceColgan will be on the sex offenders register for five years. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- otherThe maximum penalty at district court level for the child abuse material charge is a €1,904 fine and 12 months in prison. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherNiall Colgan previously spent several years in the Department of Justice press office. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherColgan declined to comment when Dublin Live called to his home. (dublinlive.ie)
- otherColgan served as Press Officer for the Department of Justice and as private secretary to a former Minister for Justice. (rte.ie)
- otherColgan is a senior Department of Justice official. (irishtimes.com)
- otherColgan previously worked in the press office of the Department of Justice. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe first video was 1 minute and 32 seconds long. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe material was only found on one device, Colgan's personal phone. (thejournal.ie)
- otherColgan had no previous convictions and had not come to garda attention since this incident. (thejournal.ie)
- otherColgan was suspended from his Department of Justice role when the offending came to light and has since resigned. (thejournal.ie)
- otherCannabis worth around €300 was found in the sitting room, and Colgan took responsibility for it. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe judge said the amount of material was probably on the lower side of what the court deals with. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe court heard Colgan has been assessed at low risk of re-offending. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe material was found on one device, Colgan's personal phone. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe court heard the material was found among an extensive collection of adult pornography. (irishtimes.com)
- otherJudge Martin Nolan said possession of child abuse material is a serious matter but that the amount in this case was on the lower side. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí also found a small amount of cannabis, valued at around €300, which Colgan took responsibility for. (irishtimes.com)
- otherColgan has no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention since this incident. (irishtimes.com)
- otherColgan was suspended from his civil service role and has since resigned. (irishtimes.com)
- otherColgan has been assessed as low risk of reoffending. (irishtimes.com)
- otherColgan has been attending individual and group counselling. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 7 May2024Former Department of Justice official guilty of possessing child-abuse material avoids jail
Court report on sentencing: guilty plea, fully suspended one-year sentence, five years on the sex offenders register. Adds details of the search, the devices seized and the defendant's background and risk assessment.
convicted, Niall Colgan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 7 May2024Former Department of Justice official avoids jail term for possessing child abuse material
Reports the May 2024 sentencing: a one-year prison sentence suspended in full, five years on the sex offenders register, and details of the evidence and mitigation heard in court.
convicted, Niall Colgan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 20 Feb2024Dublin Man, 39, Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse Material Charge
The article text is only a headline; the body is search-widget template code, so the only facts available are those in the title.
convicted, 39, male - 19 Feb2024Former Department of Justice official pleads guilty to possessing child-abuse material
Colgan pleaded guilty to one count at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; the sentence date is set for May 7th and the full facts will be heard then.
convicted, Niall Colgan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 21 Sep2023Department of Justice official ordered to attend court on child abuse images charges
Court follow-up on the charges: Colgan was excused from the Thursday hearing, Judge Mitchell ordered him to attend on October 5th, the DPP has directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, and a book of evidence must be served. The article also says he is charged with possessing cannabis at his home on the same date.
accused, Niall Colgan, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 21 Sep2023Judge orders Department of Justice official to attend court in child abuse image case
Reports the 21 September 2023 court appearance: Colgan was excused from attending, Judge Alan Mitchell ordered him to attend on 5 October, and the book of evidence was still being prepared. Adds that the DPP has directed trial on indictment in the Circuit Court, and that a cannabis possession charge is also pending. Gives his age as 38.
accused, Niall Colgan, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 21 Sep2023DoJ official told to attend court in abuse image case
Reports that the DPP has directed trial on indictment, that the case will be sent forward to the circuit criminal court, that Colgan has not yet pleaded and that there was no objection to bail. Also reports that the book of evidence was not ready, and that the judge remanded him to 5 October.
accused, Niall Colgan, 38, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan - 7 Sep2023DOJ official appears in court charged with possessing child abuse material
First report of the charges against Niall Colgan, who appeared in Dublin District Court; the alleged offences are dated to 1 February 2022.
accused, Niall Colgan, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Colgan