Increase in Irish requests to other countries for help in offences against children

Requests made by the State to other countries seeking legal assistance in criminal cases involving offences against children have increased dramatically over the past six years, new figures released by the Department of Justice show.

In 2008, the State sought help from other countries in two such cases, while last year it sought help in 38 cases here.

The offences included child pornography, the sexual exploitation of a child and child sexual assault and rape.

There were 132 such offence requests made by the State over the past six years, according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Acts.

Evidence gathering

The State asked other countries to carry out tasks including serving documents and taking evidence from individuals in connection with criminal investigations or proceedings here.

The largest number of requests for help with offences against children in a single year came in 2012, when there were 57 such requests made.

These included 40 requests related to child pornography and 17 related to child sexual assault or rape.

The State made a total of 1,070 requests for legal assistance from other countries from 2008 to 2013. The majority went to the UK and Northern Ireland, and the US.

Increase in requests to US

Requests sent to the US increased dramatically since 2008, up from 10 to 54 last year, making 160 requests over the six-year period.

The largest category of offences for which help was requested was fraud and theft. The State has also sought help for murder, manslaughter, drug trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion, sexual assault or rape of an adult, and terrorism.

The State has also handled more than 4,000 requests from other countries seeking legal assistance in criminal investigations and proceedings in the past six years.

The greatest number of these related to fraud, theft and embezzlement, but the Department of Justice was also asked for assistance in 65 cases related to offences against children. Other offences included human trafficking, murder and terrorism.

Any country may make a request to the State for legal assistance in criminal investigations or criminal proceedings. The request is made through the Department of Justice under the Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Act 2008.

Other countries have similar legislation that Ireland may avail of. States may be asked to take evidence, search for and seize material on behalf of another country, serve summonses or documentation and enforce confiscation and forfeiture orders.

Authorities may also provide mutual assistance in revenue offences or transfer a prisoner in the State to another country to give evidence.

The largest number of requests made to the State came from the UK and Northern Ireland, some 1,530 between 2008 and 2013. The next largest number came from Germany with 652, followed by Spain with 248. The US made 10 such requests.

Some 30 per cent of the requests, 1,205, were related to theft, fraud or embezzlement. Road traffic offences made up almost 15 per cent.

There were 162 requests related to murder or manslaughter cases, with 107 for serious assault. Other offences included drug trafficking, money laundering, alimony or child maintenance, sexual assault and rape. Some 30 requests related to terrorism.

A total of 41 requests involved the sexual assault or rape of a child and 12 related to child pornography.