A Catholic priest who deported from the United States to Ireland in 2001 after he served time in jail for child abuse in California has been committed for trial on pornography charges in Dublin.

Fr Oliver O’Grady from Tipperary will be tried on charges of possessing and importing child pornography, which includes images of children as young as two years of age.

The 65-year-old defrocked priest served seven years in an American prison after he was found guilty of rape, molestation and lewd and lavacious acts on children during his time as a priest in California.

O’Grady, now resident in the Dublin suburb of Ranelagh, is accused of possessing thousands of pornographic images of children.

He was arrested in December of last year and charged of possession of child pornography. Further charges followed of allegedly possessing and importing child pornography at Dublin Airport and possession of child pornography at a storage unit in Tallaght.

Initially remanded on bail, he appeared in Dublin’s District Court on Thursday when he was served with a book of evidence by Detective Garda Johanna Doyle.

Detective Doyle told the court: “We are talking about thousands upon thousands of images of child pornography. Children from the age of two and three up to teenage boys and girls.”

Judge William Early directed that the case be returned for trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and granted legal aid and bail to the defendant.

O’Grady, who has had his passport seized, spoke briefly during the case to confirm he understood.