TWO MEN SENTENCED IN DUBLIN FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ONLINE ABUSE CASES FEATURING KEVIN BOWES AND KENNETH POWELL
In July 2014, two men from Dublin faced sentencing after being discovered with a significant number of child abuse images and engaging in online threats and indecent communications.The incident unfolded when Kevin Bowes, aged 60, accidentally sent a photograph of a naked 12-year-old girl to a female acquaintance.
Following this, Bowes reportedly threatened her, saying he would cut her throat after she reported the image to Gardaí.
Bowes, of Markievicz House, Townsend Street, Dublin, and his co-accused, Kenneth Powell, aged 47, of Bessborough Avenue, North Strand, Dublin, were found possessing a total of 92 images depicting children engaged in sexual acts with each other and with adults.
The youths shown ranged from under 10 to 17 years old, with some images showing young teenage girls dressed in school uniforms.
Both men pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of child pornography at their respective homes in March 2011.
Bowes also admitted to intimidating a witness at Markievicz House on July 12, 2011.
Powell further pleaded guilty to a separate offense of sending obscene messages via telephone on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2011.
During these calls, Powell contacted Child Fund Ireland, a charity supporting children in developing countries, and made explicit comments to volunteer staff, including telling one woman that he was "throbbing" and that she had "beautiful nipples." He also made a licking noise down the phone and expressed a desire to "spank" himself off her nipples.
Detective Inspector Michael Cryan informed prosecutor Dominic McGinn SC that the volunteers found Powell's calls particularly disturbing.
The child pornography charges emerged after Bowes accidentally sent an image to Carol Anne Montgomery, whom he knew.
The image was captioned "She’s 12, she’s 12".
Montgomery reported this to Gardaí, who subsequently seized three phones from Bowes's flat in March 2011.
The investigation revealed thousands of texts exchanged between Bowes and a contact known as "Kinky Ken" or "Master Ken," which forensic analysis linked to Powell.
Of these texts, 39 detailed abusive content involving children.
In July following these events, Bowes threatened Ms.
Montgomery, warning her through a flat door, "I will cut your throat if you don’t drop the charges." He also said, "Tell her she has to pass my door on the way out and I’ll slit her throat." Due to the threats, Ms.
Montgomery stated she now sleeps with a spade beside her bed and an iron bar in her sitting room, and she has ceased walking her dogs in a neighborhood park out of fear of encountering Bowes.
Regarding their criminal histories, Bowes has prior convictions for robbery and breaching a protection order in 1992, while Powell has previous convictions for harassment in 2000, criminal damage and intoxication in 2008, and shoplifting of a bottle of wine in the previous year.
Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned the case for sentencing until later in the month, when the court will hear a full plea in mitigation from the defendants.
