The trial of a Cork Circuit Court judge on charges of possession of child pornography has been set for next March.
The case of Judge Brian Curtin is set for the next sittings of the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee and is expected to last for up to two weeks.
Judge Curtin (52), is charged with knowingly possessing child pornography under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act (1998) at his home at Tralee on May 27th, 2002.
His solicitor, Mr Pierse, last week applied successfully to have his client excused from having to be present in court today on the grounds of distress.
Mr Pierse told Judge Carroll Moran his client was harassed and obstructed by cameramen and members of the press as he left the courthouse in Tralee.
There had been "a battery of cameramen and press" obstructing him and his client on the way down the steps of the courthouse and questions had been "fired" at both of them until they made their way to Mr Pierse's office.