# Child abuse material legal proceedings in UK and Ireland > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/child-abuse-material-legal-proceedings-in-uk-and-ireland > Updated: 2026-09-05T16:33:20.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2. Legal proceedings have been initiated in the United Kingdom and Ireland regarding the possession and distribution of child abuse material. In the United Kingdom, James Sharratt, a 70-year-old from St Mabyn, pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images of children and extreme pornographic images involving animals. He received a 34-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, along with 10 days of rehabilitation. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years and issued a sexual harm prevention order restricting internet access for a decade. In Ireland, 37-year-old Edward Sweeney was remanded on bail at Dún Laoghaire District Court. He faces eight charges under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998, involving the alleged possession of tens of thousands of child pornography images and videos on various electronic devices. The allegations include the production and distribution of such material in the Dublin area between 2012 and 2018. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-05: Legal proceedings involve child abuse material cases in UK and Ireland Legal actions have been taken against two men in the UK and Ireland for the possession and distribution of child abuse material. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legal-proceedings-involve-child-abuse-material-cases-in-uk-and-ireland ### 2026-09-02: Legal proceedings initiated in sexual assault cases in Kenya and Ireland Separate legal proceedings are underway in Kenya and Ireland involving individuals facing multiple charges of sexual assault and defilement. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/legal-proceedings-initiated-in-sexual-assault-cases-in-kenya-and-ireland --- Cite as: Child abuse material legal proceedings in UK and Ireland. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/child-abuse-material-legal-proceedings-in-uk-and-ireland