Man pleads guilty after extradition to Ireland from Greece on sex offences involving girl

David Raleigh

A man with an address in the midwest region has been remanded in custody after gardaí extradited him to Ireland from Greece on sex offences involving a female child.

The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.

The man, who was returned for trial on 31 separate charges including sexual assault on a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and possessing “child pornography”, pleaded guilty to six sample counts, including three counts of sexually assaulting a girl, two counts of sexual exploitation of the girl, and one count of “child pornography”.

The man’s barrister, senior counsel Mark Nicholas, told the court that the man was “in custody” for the purposes of him appearing in court after he was “brought to Limerick”.

Prosecuting barrister John O’Sullivan BL told the court the man had been “extradited back from Greece”.

The offences occurred on dates between January and December 2014, the court heard.

Mr O’Sullivan said the man’s six guilty pleas were “acceptable to the State on a full facts basis” in respect of the 31 offences brought against him on the indictment.

Mr O’Sullivan said the victim was entitled to her right to anonymity, and that the “issue of publicity” in respect of the defendant’s identify could be finalised at his sentencing hearing, but he said that, at this juncture, the man should not be identified.

The man’s barrister asked the court to extend legal aid to cover the cost of a written report by the man’s psychological counsellor, as well as a report by an independent forensic psychologist.

Judge Colin Daly granted the application and he ordered that the defendant be placed on a national “sex offenders register”.

The “duration” of the man’s placement on the register will be determined at his sentencing hearing, the judge said.

The judge imposed a ban on any details that might identify the victim or the accused.

Judge Daly also directed that any “lay persons“ who were present in the court were “also subject” to the court order, meaning they must “not identity” any of the parties.

The man’s barrister told the court that the defendant wished to offer an apology to the victim.

The victim, who was accompanied in court by members of her family, did not speak during the brief hearing.

Judge Daly remanded the defendant in custody for sentencing before Limerick Circuit Criminal Court on July 21st.