How Google tip-off led to Austin Odibei’s jail term but he will not spend a day in prison

A 49-year-old Nigerian man, Austin Odibei, has been handed an 18-month custodial sentence suspended for three years after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material in Ireland.

Odibei, who resides at Milford Manor Avenue, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, admitted to the offence when he appeared before the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court over material discovered in April 2019.

The court heard that tech giant Google had in March 2019 alerted relevant authorities in the United States about suspected child abuse material linked to a user account. The notification was triggered by cloud-based monitoring systems after the files were backed up online.

Following the alert, Irish law enforcement authorities traced the Google account and a mobile phone number to Odibei. A subsequent search of his home in April 2019 led to the seizure of several electronic devices, including a mobile phone and a camera.

Forensic analysis carried out by gardaí uncovered 15 files of child sexual abuse material — comprising 13 files stored on the camera’s memory card and two videos found on Odibei’s phone.

Of the 13 files recovered from the camera, 11 were videos while two were images. Five of the files were classified under Category 1 child sexually explicit material, with the remaining eight placed under Category 2 child sexual exposure. The two additional videos found on the defendant’s phone were both classified as Category 1.

The court was informed that the victims in the files could not be identified.

Presiding judge, Orla Crowe, described the offence as deeply disturbing, noting that “the evil of child porn and the immense harm is such that it is the subject of utter revulsion by right-thinking people all over the world”.

While sentencing, the judge acknowledged Odibei’s written letter of apology, his lack of previous convictions at the time of the search, and the relatively small volume of material involved compared to other cases before the court.

Defence counsel told the court that his client accepted responsibility for the material found on the camera but maintained that he was not involved in accessing or viewing it. Gardaí, however, stated that Odibei did not make this claim during initial questioning.

The court also heard that the material discovered on the phone had allegedly been sent to him.

Judge Crowe subsequently imposed an 18-month prison sentence, which was suspended for three years on the condition that Odibei maintains good behaviour and keeps the peace within the period.