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Revision as of 14:56, 19 January 2006 by Aaron Brenneman (talk | contribs) (clean-up, add refs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Brian Curtin is an Irish circuit court judge who was caught with images of child pornography on his computer.
Arrest and trial
Curtin was targeted by police after investigation of a 1999 credit card transactions in an investigation codenamed Operation Amethyst. Gardai detectives recieved and executed a search warrant, finding 273 images of child pornography. Curtin's extended absence from his home, however, mean that the search was one day late.
The results of an illegal search, the evidence found on that search could not be used in court. Curtain was released without charges, the judge declaring that the case was "crystal clear". Curtain then refused to step down, stating he only be removed for "stated misbehaviour".
Outcry
Public response was swift. Online opinon polls showed little support for his continuing to serve on the bench.. The Irish Government moved to impeach Curtain within months, saying he was "unsuitable to exercise the office of a judge of the Circuit Court".
References
- [Barry O'Kelly, Curtin detective rules out virus , The Sunday Business Post May 16, 2004.
- Barry O'Kelly, Judge Curtin's home staked out for days, The Sunday Business Post May 02, 2004
- Trial of judge Curtin collapses RTE News and Current Affairs, 23 April 2004.
- Irish Headlines, Supreme Court to deliver Curtin judgment in March, Ireland Online, January 19 2006
- Selected Irish Independent Poll, Do you think Judge Brian Curtin should step down from the bench?, Irish Independant
- Motion to impeach judge begins, BBC news, 2 June 2004.
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