Ireland Case No. 0762Possession of sexual images of children, distribution of sexual images of children, encouraging a sex act on a child · Co. Limerick · 29 Nov 2021
Terence Fitzpatrick jailed for 18 months for sharing child abuse images and encouraging sex act on children
Terence Fitzpatrick, a 46-year-old man from Limerick, traded sexual images of children, including girls aged 10 to 14, with other users on Instagram and Whisper, and encouraged a man to perform a sex act on children. He began seeking such images in September 2021, and the case followed a US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children alert after he shared a sexual image of a child on Instagram on 29 November 2021. Gardaí arrested him in February 2022, and during a search of his home he admitted possessing and distributing the material. He pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court and on 23 June 2026 was jailed for 18 months with the final six months suspended, with orders including placement on the sex offenders register.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced23 Jun
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Fitzpatrick, a 46-year-old Limerick man, traded sexual images of children with others on Instagram and Whisper.
- He and another Whisper user traded eight explicit images of girls aged between 10 and 14.
- In September 2021 he began seeking images of children by engaging with a fake Instagram account he believed was run by a 14-year-old girl.
- He sent the fake profile eight images and one video, and Instagram closed the account.
- He encouraged a man to perform a sex act on children.
- When
- The incident date recorded is 29 November 2021, when he shared a sexual image of a child on Instagram.
- Where
- The case was heard at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.
- Investigation
- A National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children alert in the United States followed his sharing of a sexual image of a child on Instagram.
- Gardaí from the Limerick Divisional Protective Services Unit arrested him in February 2022 at Henry Street Garda Station.
- During a Garda search of his home, he admitted possessing and distributing the material stored on his mobile phone, a USB stick and digital cloud storage.
- Charges
- He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing sexual images of children and two counts of distributing the images to others via Instagram and Whisper.
- Other details
- He pleaded guilty and cooperated fully with the investigation, and a psychological report found he was of below average risk of reoffending.
- Sentence
- He was jailed for 18 months with the final six months suspended, and the Irish Times headline gives the sentence as 12 months while its body text and the Limerick Post report 18 months.
- He received two concurrent 12-month sentences for possessing the illegal material, with all sentences running concurrently.
- He was ordered to be added to the national sex offenders register, to abide by a 12-month post-release supervision order, and to engage with a sex-offender treatment programme.
30 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHe traded sexual images of children with others on social media apps. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHe and another Whisper user traded eight explicit images of girls aged between 10 and 14. (irishtimes.com)
- whatFitzpatrick began seeking images of children in September 2021 when he engaged with a fake Instagram account he believed was run by a 14-year-old girl. (irishtimes.com)
- whatFitzpatrick sent the fake profile eight images and one video, resulting in the account being closed by Instagram. (irishtimes.com)
- whatHis wife had left him after she found out about his illegal activities online. (irishtimes.com)
- whatFitzpatrick pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing sexual images of children and two counts of distributing illegal images online. (limerickpost.ie)
- whatFitzpatrick encouraged a man to perform a sex act on children. (limerickpost.ie)
- whereThe case was heard at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. (limerickpost.ie)
- whenFitzpatrick began seeking images of children in September 2021. (limerickpost.ie)
- causeA National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children alert followed Fitzpatrick sharing a sexual image of a child on Instagram in November 2021. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationIn February 2022, Fitzpatrick was arrested by gardaí attached to the Limerick Divisional Protective Services Unit. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí received an alert from the NCMEC in the United States after Fitzpatrick shared a sexual image of a child on Instagram on 29 November 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationDuring a Garda search of his home, Fitzpatrick admitted possessing and distributing the material stored on his mobile phone, a USB stick and digital cloud storage. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí arrested Fitzpatrick in February 2022 at Henry Street Garda Station. (limerickpost.ie)
- investigationFitzpatrick admitted possessing and distributing the illegal material during a Garda search of his home. (limerickpost.ie)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing sexual images of children. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing the illegal images to others via the Instagram and Whisper apps. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceFitzpatrick was jailed for 18 months with the final six months suspended for distribution offences. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was given two concurrent 12-month jail sentences for possessing the illegal material. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge reduced each distribution sentence to 18 months to run concurrently. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge reduced each possession count to 12 months to run concurrently with one another and with the distribution sentences. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was ordered to abide by a 12-month post-release supervision order. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHe was ordered to engage with a sex-offender treatment programme. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceFitzpatrick was jailed for 18 months with the final six months suspended. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceFitzpatrick received two concurrent 12-month jail sentences for possessing the illegal material. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceFitzpatrick was ordered to be added to a national sex offenders register. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceFitzpatrick must abide by a 12-month post release supervision order. (limerickpost.ie)
- sentenceFitzpatrick must engage with a sex-offender treatment programme. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherFitzpatrick had pleaded guilty and cooperated fully with the investigation in mitigation. (limerickpost.ie)
- otherA psychological report found Fitzpatrick was of below average risk of reoffending. (limerickpost.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 23 Jun2026Man who sought out child sex abuse images jailed for 18 months
Court report on the sentencing of Terence Fitzpatrick at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court. No existing case in the list matches this case.
convicted, Terence Fitzpatrick, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Terence Fitzpatrick - 23 Jun2026Man who shared child abuse images and encouraged sex act on children jailed for 12 months
Reports the full sentencing of Terence Fitzpatrick, including details of the offences, the judge's reasoning, and post-sentence orders including sex offenders' register listing and supervision.
convicted, Terence Fitzpatrick, 46, male, named, irish (judged from name)Terence Fitzpatrick