BAILED | 

Man (49) pleads guilty to masturbating in front of child in north Dublin

Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of March 20 and remanded Mark Dolan on continuing bail until then

Isabel Hayes

Today at 12:20

A man has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to engaging in sexual activity in front of a child.

Yesterday, Mark Dolan (49), formerly of Ardrew Heights, Dun Brinn, Athy, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to one count of masturbating in front of a child at an address in north Dublin on May 6 last year.

Judge Martin Nolan set a sentence date of March 20 and remanded Dolan on continuing bail until then.

At a previous hearing, gardai alleged four girls were out playing on a street when the accused drove past them before parking his vehicle further down the road.

CCTV allegedly showed Mr Dolan exiting his car and walking back towards them on the other side of the street, a garda said.

According to the prosecution, on the footage, Dolan unzips his trousers and “keeps his hands on his genital area” as he walks towards the girls.

It can be seen that “his hand moves a lot in his genital region,” the garda said.

When he walks back to his car, his penis is exposed and he appears to be smiling, it was alleged.

At the time, Judge Brendan O’Reilly ruled Mr Dolan could not be identified, but another judge, Cephas Power later lifted that order following a media challenge.