NIALL BRADY'S SHOCKING CHILD ABUSE IMAGES SCANDAL IN CO WICKLOW THEATRE

In June 2013, a disturbing controversy erupted surrounding Niall Brady, a man from Tinnapark, Kilpedder, Co Wicklow, who was convicted of possessing child pornography. Brady had recently established a small community theatre called ‘The Knight’s Venue’ in Newcastle, Co Wicklow, which was intended to serve as a hub for local concerts, amateur drama productions, and adult cinema screenings.

Since its opening in November of the previous year, the theatre had hosted a variety of events, including comedy nights, amateur pantomimes, and a cinema club aimed at adult audiences. However, plans for a children’s cinema club, promoted through flyers sent to local schools, quickly became the center of controversy. The flyers advertised a ‘secret’ cinema club for kids, where children were required to text a mobile number to discover the film being shown. This clandestine approach sparked outrage among parents once details of Brady’s criminal history became public knowledge.

Brady, aged 45, had a prior conviction from August 2006, when he received a one-year suspended sentence after admitting to possession of child pornography at Wicklow Circuit Court. The revelation of his past led to a swift backlash, with many parents expressing their anger and concern. As a result, ‘The Knight’s Venue’ was permanently closed after numerous complaints flooded the premises’ landlord.

Further investigations into Brady’s background revealed troubling connections to international child pornography networks. In 2002, Interpol had provided Gardai with Brady’s name after discovering records on a Texas-based website dealing in illegal pornography, with subscribers making purchases via credit card. Authorities executed a search warrant at Brady’s residence in Kilpedder, where they seized two computers and a CD-ROM. The investigation uncovered references to sub-folders with titles such as ‘erotic early teen hardcore,’ ‘erotic lolita,’ and ‘erotic pre-teen’ within a newsgroup. One of the computers contained approximately 2,049 images believed to breach child pornography laws.

When approached by the Sunday World, Brady maintained that there was nothing sinister about the cinema club. He claimed that the child pornography material was found on his computer due to work-related activities for various companies. Brady insisted that children attending the club would have been accompanied by responsible adults at all times. He explained, “My wife was going to run the kids’ stuff and I was going to do the adult one. We didn’t want it to be a crèche; they would have had to have a responsible adult with them at all times. On the day it was meant to start, we received a phone call from the principal saying someone had objected. She told me I was on the sex offender’s register, which I am not. I contacted the Gardai, and they said they had no problem with it.”

Brady further claimed that the child pornography images had been downloaded inadvertently while he was attempting to block illegal material for his clients. “I devised a quick way of scanning and creating lists of servers with illegal images. These were added to a blacklist, which was uploaded,” he explained. He also referenced a 2002 Garda raid on his home, where various items were seized. Brady stated, “It was an automated process that downloaded everything onto CD. The files weren’t opened or viewed.” He asserted that the Gardaí accepted his explanation as plausible.

When questioned about why he would plead guilty to a crime he believed he did not commit, Brady cited personal circumstances. “My wife was diagnosed with a tumour, and I was told I had a 50-50 chance of going to prison. The law doesn’t cover internet security, and ignorance is no defense. If I could go back, I would fight it all over again,” he said. In 2006, Judge Thomas Teehan sentenced Brady to one year in prison, suspended on the condition that he maintain good behavior and keep the peace for three years.