Updated 12.50

The High Court has heard a man the FBI describes as the largest facilitator of child pornography on the planet would plead guilty if tried in Ireland.

However the DPP has decided not to prosecute Eric Eoin Marques (22) who is fighting his extradition to the United States.

Marques of Mountjoy Square, Dublin, appeared in court in a grey hooded top and jeans.

He was arrested at his flat last August and remains in custody after two failed attempts to secure bail.

A federal court in Maryland issued a warrant on charges of conspiring to distribute and advertise child pornography.

The allegations relate to images on over a hundred "anonymous websites" described as being extremely violent, graphic and depicting the rape and torture of pre-pubescent children.

The court previously heard that if convicted Marques faces spending the remainder of his natural life in prison as the four charges could result in a sentence totaling 100 years.

Marques, who holds dual US and Irish citizenship, wants to be tried in Ireland.

His barrister Remy Farrell SC today told the court that his solicitor wrote to the DPP in November indicating that the 28-year-old would plead guilty if prosecuted in this jurisdiction.

A file was submitted to the Director Claire Loftus in the autumn.

Today it emerged she has decided not to press charges against Marques.

Mr Farrell described it as a significant development and Mr Justice John Edwards agreed to put the case back until January 21st to allow time for the complex issues in the case to be addressed.

There are some parallels to the case of Ali Charaf Damache, the man known as the Black Flag who is fighting extradition to the US on a charge of assisting terrorists.

Damache, an Irish citizen, has brought a legal challenge to the DPP's decision not to prosecute him in Ireland for an offence that alleged to have taken place while he was living here.