Dundalk Court: Double rapist jailed for breaching court order

A double rapist who cold-called twice to the home of a 15 year old girl in County Louth, in breach of a court order, has been jailed for 12 months at Dundalk Circuit Court.

The Defence barrister told the sentencing hearing that the 50 year old man deals in cars and had spotted a UK-import parked outside the girl's home, when his wife called to a next door neighbour who had a washing machine and dryer for sale on Facebook.

The court heard last Friday that he had been sentenced to 12 years with the last four years suspended in 1998 for the rape of a 13 year old girl and in 2009 was sentenced to 21 years with the final two years suspended for the rape of a woman in her 80s.

The detective garda appointed as his case worker, told Judge Dara Hayes the defendant's m-o involved cold calling to identify victims, "under the guise of doing maintenance work or work of some sort".

He was released from prison in September last year and "immediately started calling to people again", which resulted in a Circuit Court order being made last December which prohibited from engaging in a number of activities including cold-calling.

The 50 year old was captured on a doorbell camera on both occasions in August this year.

He knocked on the front door the first time, but the 15 year old didn't answer and he spoke to the teen on his second visit, when he left his mobile phone number for her mother, asking if a car was for sale.

Her mum contacted the gardaí after receiving a text warning her to be careful about who called to her home, with a link to a newspaper report.

The Defence barrister stressed that his client had spotted a UK import when his wife called to the house next door to inquire about buying a washing machine and dryer and he had called to the 15 year old girl's home two days later, when his wife went back to collect them.

The lawyer argued it was a technical breach of the order, and stressed there was no malice or intentional disregard of the order by his client, who's been in custody since August 17th last. 

He added that his current incarceration has drilled home to him the importance of strictly abiding by the court order.

Judge Dara Hayes imposed concurrent 12 month sentences for both offences, and remanded him in custody to appear before the Central Criminal Court in respect of the suspended portion of the 21 year sentence.