55 Victims of Online Child Sex Abuse Identified

To date, over 30,000 CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) files have been reviewed by the GNCCB team.

A device seized from an Irish suspect led to the identification of two child victims in Germany and the arrest of their father for sexual exploitation.

This case is just one of many uncovered over the past 15 months, as An Garda Síochána—through the work of the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau (GNCCB) and the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB)—continues to identify and safeguard children from online sexual abuse.

More than 100 child victims of online sexual abuse have been identified and safeguarded by specialist garda units since the beginning of 2024.

Figures from the Online Child Exploitation Unit within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) show that 73 child victims of online sexual abuse were identified and safeguarded in Ireland in 2024. The figure to date for this year is 39.

Since July 2024, the GNCCB’s Victim Identification Team has analysed thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos recovered from seized devices. This work has led to the identification and safeguarding of 55 children in Ireland, and many more internationally, through close collaboration with the GNPSB, Divisional Protective Services Units (DPSUs), and law enforcement agencies worldwide.

In the past year alone, 16 Irish child victims have been identified and protected, alongside 24 non-Irish victims discovered through Irish-led investigations. An additional 52 possible victims globally have been tentatively identified, with intelligence passed to international partners for follow-up.

One investigation resulted in the safeguarding of three children in Ireland who were being exploited online by a foreign suspect.

To date, over 30,000 CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) files have been reviewed by the GNCCB team. Nearly 900 files contained images of previously unknown victims and have been submitted to INTERPOL’s ICSE (International Child Sexual Exploitation) database to support global identification efforts.

Meanwhile, Gardaí say they are seeing victims as young as five years of age, with online threats targeting children growing in "scale and sophistication". The GNPSB’s Online Child Exploitation Unit (ONCE) continues to protect children from digital threats. In 2025 alone, the unit has identified and safeguarded 39 Irish victims.

Gardaí say they are seeing victims as young as five years of age, with online threats targeting children growing in "scale and sophistication".The online threat landscape is becoming increasingly complex, say gardaí, with offenders now using emerging technologies, including AI-generated deepfakes, to produce realistic abuse material for blackmail.

Even more disturbing is the rise in sadistic online enticement, where children are manipulated via mainstream apps into self-harm or abusive acts by offenders exerting psychological control.

In a move to strengthen global efforts, An Garda Síochána is currently hosting the Europol COSEC International Training Course at the Garda College in Templemore.

The 10-day event brings together 38 officers from 31 countries to enhance skills in investigating online child exploitation, with a focus on victim identification.

Detective Chief Superintendent Colm Noonan (GNPSB) emphasized that identifying victims not only protects them but provides critical evidence for prosecution. “Children and teenagers who have an electronic device with uncontrolled access to the online environment need to be aware of the danger of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse along with the very serious harm that both will cause. Parents need to realise that such behaviour is happening online on an alarming scale.”

Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen (GNCCB) praised his team and issued a strong message for families: “For parents, my advice is to talk to your child about the online environment, help them understand the dangers, monitor and be aware of your child’s online activities and be available to listen and help if your support is required.”