ALLEGEDCHILD MOLESTER

AN alleged child molester who was remanded on bail, has been told that he cannot be in the presence of children under 18 years of age without having the immediate presence of another adult, when he appeared at Dundalk District Court last Wednesday.

The 62 year old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons to protect the identity of the alleged injured party, faces 14 charges, including sexual assault, rape, and using a female child for the purpose of sexual exploitation, on dates between November 4 1998 and August 1, 2005. All the incidents apart from one are alleged to have taken place in his home, with one charge of oral rape alleged to have happened in a church.

Gda Gary Harris gave evidence of arresting the man and told the court that the man made no reply after he was charged after caution.

Judge John Coughlan heard that there was an objection to bail and that the injured party alleged the offences started when she was seven years of age.

‘Is this gentleman a threat to children?’ asked Judge Coughlan, describing the charges as ‘very serious’.

Mr Conor MacGuill, solicitor for the accused, said there was no way the garda could answer that question and that the allegations were ‘ historical’ in nature.

Inspector Martin Beggy said his concern would be that any bail would ensure that the accused was not in the vicinity of the injured party or similiar.

Mr MacGuill said that the alleged injured party resides in the UK and that his client hadn’t come to the at- tention of the gardai before or since. There were no children in the house where he lives, which was in a ‘more mature part of town’ where one would be less likely to come in contact with children of school going age.

Judge Coughlan said he was prepared to grant bail ‘provided he’s not living within a mile of children’.

Inspector Beggy said that the gardai had met their obligations as Tulsa had been notified and they had notified the relevant parties. He asked that a condition of the bail be that the accused not be in the presence of a child under 18 years of age in public place or private property with being in the immediate presence of another adult.

The case was adjourned until September 27 for the preparation of a book of evidence,