CHARGED | 

Sex offender allegedly failed to notify gardai of address when visiting Dublin on holiday

Randi Dextroy Gladston (39) travelled to Dublin to visit his daughter and other relatives in advance of his wedding

Today at 15:01

A sex offender was arrested for failing to notify gardai of his address in Ireland when he came here on holiday to meet family, a court heard.

Randi Dextroy Gladston (39) travelled to Dublin to visit his daughter and other relatives in advance of his wedding at home in South America.

A UK-registered offender, it is alleged he did not comply with the requirement to give gardai details of where he was staying.

Mr Gladston, a father-of-three of no fixed address, was granted bail despite garda objections when he appeared in Dublin District Court.

He is facing trial and Judge John Brennan remanded him on bail to October, for the preparation of a book of evidence.

Objecting to bail, Garda Lee Kelly said the accused, of no fixed abode, came to Ireland and stayed in an apartment booked in Dun Laoghaire from August 11 to August 25. However, he then extended his stay until August 27 and attempted to take a ferry to the UK but was refused entry because he was subject to an indefinite deportation order there.

He was arrested and charged under Section 12 of the Sex Offenders Act.

The court heard registered sex offenders are obliged to notify gardai of their address in Ireland even if here on vacation, and have seven days to do so if they have a foreign conviction.

Defence barrister Kevin McCrave said the accused, a construction labourer from Guyana but living in Suriname, was due to be married in September.

He had two children in Suriname and a daughter by another relationship in the UK. He came to Ireland to meet up with this daughter and other family members and intended to return to Suriname but was late for his return flight from Ireland and missed it, Mr McCrave said.

Mr Gladston was “low in cash” and attempted to get back home the cheapest way possible by flying from Paris, with a ferry to get there through the UK.

The UK authorities refused him entry and that was when the issue arose, Mr McCrave said.

“He reasonably understood he was allowed to come here to meet his family,” Mr McCrave said. Mr Gladston did not realise the registration requirement extended to Ireland, the barrister said.

Gda Kelly said the accused’s account “doesn’t make sense to me” as he had extended his accommodation booking to August 27 but left in the early hours of the 26th.

Asked if bail conditions would allay his fears, the garda said: “absolutely not. I don’t believe he will stay in this jurisdiction.”

Judge Brennan said he understood the state’s flight risk concerns but said conditions could allay them.

He set bail in the accused’s own bond of €500 with no cash required. Under conditions, Mr Gladston must surrender his passport within 24 hours, sign on three times per week at a garda station and provide an address and mobile phone number.