Harasser of women moves from Easkey
A 55-year-old man convicted of harassing several women in West Sligo has been warned once more to stay out of Easkey.
Evan Clarke, of Main Street, Easkey, appeared before Judge Frances Comerford at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court last Wednesday.
The judge wanted to know what accommodation Clarke had organised in Sligo town, as one of the conditions of his three year suspended sentence was that he was not supposed to be living in Easkey.
His defence barrister Mr Joe Barnes BL, instructed by Mr Eddie Henry solicitor, told Judge Comerford that Clarke had “homeless accommodation” in Sligo from that night, in Maryville Hostel, Finisklin.
“So he’s not residing in Easkey?” asked the judge.
Mr Barnes told him that Clarke had presented himself as homeless to Sligo County Council.
“He has homeless services available to him from tonight,” he told the court.
Mr Pat Reynolds BL, prosecuting on behalf of the State, told the judge that the court had amended the terms of the bond agreed last summer.
The court heard that Evan Clarke was no longer living in Easkey and the terms of the bond could be changed.
“If he was to reside in Easkey it will come back before the court and that would be regarded as a significant breech,” warned Judge Comerford.
Clarke was last July ordered to carry out 240 hours Com- munity Service in lieu of a three year prison sentence for harassing a woman in Easkey.
He was convicted of harassing the woman on dates in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
The three year sentence was suspended for 15 years by Judge Keenan Johnson at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court on 25 th June on condition Clarke lived with his brother in Enniscrone while looking for accommodation in Sligo town. Judge Johnson ordered Clarke to have no contact whatsoever with his victim for 15 years and to live away from Easkey. Clarke also spent a period in prison on remand having breached his bail terms previously by taking alcohol and cannabis. Clarke previously received a six month suspended sentence from the District Court for harassing another woman in Enniscrone.