convicted | 

Louth man (28) who exposed himself to teen girls in Drogheda town centre is jailed

‘He had his penis out and tried to grab my arm. I screamed and we ran’

Drogheda Independent

Yesterday at 14:00

A 28-year-old forklift driver who exposed himself to three young girls and attempted to grab one of them, has been jailed.

At Drogheda Court on Monday Judge Eirinn McKiernan imposed the maximum sentence of six months for summary disposal of the charge in question.

Daniel Stana, Kermon House, Drogheda, was convicted of, on 23 January 2022 in West Street, exposing his genitals intending to cause fear, distress, or alarm to another person.

The defendant denied the offence, saying there was no one around when he went down an alleyway to urinate.

CCTV footage was played during the hearing which showed Mr Stana following the three friends as they walked past the door to toilets in Drogheda Town Centre before the incident occurred.

One of the victims, aged 16, gave evidence that she was walking with the others on West Street. She turned around at the bakery and saw the accused not too far behind them.

They kept walking and this man then walked on in front of them.

‘We went to turn (a corner) and he was there. He had his penis out and tried to grab my arm. I screamed and we ran.’

Her friend, aged 15, testified that they had left Drogheda Town Centre and walked up by Moorland Café.

‘He smiled at us. We got frightened. He had his private parts out and went to grab her. We ran. We were in shock.’

Under cross-examination it was put to the witness that in her statement she said the man went down a laneway and was on his phone.

Court presenter Sgt John O’Hehir said that a third witness had been cautioned to attend and had not appeared.

Gda Darren McKenna gave evidence that at the time he was member in charge of Drogheda Garda Station when a complaint was made at 6.55pm.

The victims had told their parents what happened when they got home. Gardaí were given a description of the suspect.

On 1 February 2022 a warrant was obtained for a house in Moneymore. Mr Stana was present and was arrested. He made no reply after caution.

He disclosed that it was him in the footage. At 7.35pm he was charged. Again, he made no reply after caution.

In a memo of interview during his detention, the defendant denied all allegations of exposure. He said he had gone to urinate.

The court rejected a defence application for a dismissal on the grounds that there was no allegation of exposure on West Street, rather down a laneway.

Daniel Stana gave evidence that he was on West Street. It was dark, he saw no one around. He had to urinate. He was in the middle of an alleyway. He never tried to grab anyone.

Inspector Kevin Toner said there was toilet in the footage and asked why he didn’t use it.

‘I thought it was closed, maybe, I can’t remember,’ he replied.

He said he was on his way home to Moneymore. He had ‘no ambition’ when he saw three teenagers on West Street.

‘I saw a lane on the right. I felt it safe to go into the lane to urinate.’

He repeated that he wasn’t trying to grab someone. There was no one around him.

Inspector Toner put it to the witness that it was 5.30pm on a Friday evening in West Street.

He asked the accused why he did not use the toilets in one of the pubs or cafes.

‘Some places don’t let you in. Some places say customers only,’ he responded.

The inspector put it to Mr Stana that he ‘selected’ these three young girls and followed them.

Judge McKiernan asked the defendant why he did not use the toilet in the shopping centre.

He replied that he thought it was out of service, adding he never saw the girls at any stage.

The judge said that taking into account the footage, that the victims saw this man behind them and in front of them, he had to have seen these girls.

On that basis, the court was convicting the accused.

Details were given of two previous convictions. He was fined €1,200 and €500 for engaging in acts of masturbation on two separate dates.

Barrister Eoghan Fagan said his client has been 24 years in Ireland. He has a good work history as a forklift driver.

Judge McKiernan noted there were two previous convictions ‘for similar type offences’.

He had contested this charge, ‘putting children through this ordeal’.

To expose himself was ‘horrific’ for the victims.

The court imposed the maximum sentence of six months.

Bail in the event of an appeal was set at a personal bond of €300 with €1,000 cash lodged.