Sex offender did not tell garda address for three years

 • 4h ago

A sex offender failed to tell gardaí where he was living for three years in a “regrettable slip,” a court heard.

The accused (28) had served a sentence for a sexual offence committed while he was a minor and did not tell gardaí when he was living “between addresses”.

Judge Bryan Smyth fined him €250 at Dublin District Court.

The sales worker pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to notify gardaí of his address between February 10, 2019 and February 2, 2022.

A garda told the court as a result of his conviction, the accused was obliged to tell gardaí of any change of address but failed to do so.

Details of the original conviction were handed up to the court but not read out.

The accused was living with his girlfriend and was in between addresses at the time and failed to notify gardaí, his lawyer said.

The garda agreed with the lawyer that it was a “minor enough slip” and the accused was otherwise in full compliance with the order of the circuit court.

The change of address was not in any way designed to evade the attention of the gardaí, the lawyer said.

When he was approached by the gardaí, he made admissions “straight away” that he was not in compliance with the notification requirement.

The accused had served a period of imprisonment, was now working full time and his obligations under the Sex Offenders Act would finish next year.

The accused came to court with an otherwise good record and was getting on with his life, the lawyer said.