Wednesday 28 October 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. 3066Sexual assault · Co. Dublin

Philip Dignam jailed for sexually assaulting sleeping woman

Philip Dignam, 41, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment (with one year suspended) for sexually assaulting Kathleen Morris while she was asleep or unconscious, recording eight videos of the acts in 2020. The offences occurred two years after he received a fully suspended sentence for possessing over 900 images of child sexual abuse material discovered through an FBI investigation into the dark web site 'Playpen'.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced17 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
16 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDignam recorded eight videos depicting various acts of sexual assault on the woman while she was asleep or unconscious (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatDignam was previously granted a fully suspended sentence for possessing over 900 images and 13 explicit videos of child sexual abuse (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe child sexual abuse material included bestiality videos involving children (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe images depicted boys and girls under 17 engaged in sexual activity with other children and adults (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatSome of the materials contained children in inappropriate circumstances with animals (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatDignam admitted downloading the images from the dark web Playpen site and accessing it regularly (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKathleen Morris and Dignam were in a consensual sexual relationship and met at hotel rooms (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenDignam was freed in 2018 after the child porn sentence (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe child porn offence occurred on 17 May 2016 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe FBI investigated a child pornography site called 'Playpen' accessed through the dark web and uncovered an address in Ireland (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe FBI gained control of the Playpen website on 20 February 2015 and tracked users up until March 4 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationSome 500,000 subscribers were identified through the Playpen site (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Keenan Johnson passed the suspended sentence for the child porn case at Portlaoise Circuit Court (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe sexual assault case went to trial four times with delays relating to video evidence (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJustice Burns imposed an eight-year prison sentence, suspending the final year on conditions including engaging with the Probation Service for three years (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherKathleen Morris wished to waive her anonymity to allow Dignam to be named in reporting (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 May2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Jailed paedo promised not to re-offend after FBI probe led straight to his door

    Details the sentencing by Justice Burns, the victim's identity (Kathleen Morris, who waived anonymity), and the background of Dignam's 2018 suspended sentence for child porn possession following an FBI investigation.

    victim, Kathleen Morris, female, irish (judged from name)Kathleen Morrisconvicted, Philip Dignam, 41, male, named, irish (judged from name)Philip Dignam