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A man sexually assaulted nine different women on various occasions in Dublin city, including slapping a woman garda on the buttocks after he was arrested, a court has heard.
Kevin Kletzander, of no fixed abode, told gardaí he was “looking for love” when they arrived at the Ilac Shopping Centre to arrest him following the final incidents on August 28th, 2021, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday.
Kletzander (32) pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault on August 5th, 12th, 27th and 28th, 2021 at various locations in Dublin city including the Ilac Shopping Centre, Aston Quay, Usher Island, Grafton Street and Store Street Garda station. He has no previous convictions.
Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to June 23rd for finalisation.
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Det Garda Mark Costello told Grainne O’Neill BL, prosecuting, that the first victim was on Grafton Street on August 5th, 2021 at appropriately 8.40am when she saw a man walking towards her. She noticed him as he looked odd and she feared he wanted to steal her handbag. Instead, he put his arm under her skirt and touched her crotch area.
The woman screamed and Kletzander let go, before walking off in another direction. She later saw him in St Stephen’s Green and made a report to gardaí.
On August 12th, 2021, Kletzander sexually assaulted three women by grabbing their crotch areas in separate incidents at Stephen’s Green, Aston Quay and Usher’s Island. In a fourth incident on the same day, he ran at a woman, who had got off a bus in the Usher’s Island area, and hit her in the crotch area with his fist.
Separately, a 32-year-old woman was in the Ilac Shopping Centre on the afternoon of August 27th, 2021. She was watching her son play, when she was grabbed on the buttocks from behind and pushed forward.
An investigating garda said Kletzander then walked several steps in front of this woman, before turning back towards her. She used a buggy as a shield as she was concerned, he was going to attack her again.
The woman screamed and Kletzander walked away. She was left in pain and shock following the incident.
The next day, another woman was walking into the Ilac Shopping Centre at 8.15am, when Kletzander, who was walking in the opposite direction, asked her for a “bl*wjob”. She was shocked and froze. Kletzander then grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her head towards his crotch area. She screamed and he backed off.
A short time later in the same area, Kletzander was sitting at the entrance to the shopping centre and shouted at a woman on a bike that he could “see her vagina”. She got off her bike and he grabbed at her, putting his hand up her skirt, touching her crotch and stomach area.
The woman was very shocked and scared during the assault. A passerby shouted at Kletzander and scared him off.
Kletzander was arrested shortly afterwards in the Ilac Centre, before he sexually assaulted the woman garda at Store Street Garda station by slapping her once on the buttocks.
A compilation of CCTV was played to the court.
One victim impact statement was handed in, but not read aloud.
When interviewed, Kletzander admitted being at St Stephen’s Green, but made no comment in relation to the other incidents. Det Garda Costello agreed with Ms O’Neill that Kletzander accepted what he had done, but the tenor of the conversation was that he didn’t feel he had done anything wrong.
The investigating gardaí agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that the injured parties were relieved by Kletzander’s guilty pleas. Kletzander had no inhibitions and carried out these actions in front of hundreds of people, the court heard.
Kletzander has been in custody since August 2021, and had been living in hostel accommodation in recent years.
Mr Rea told the court his client has serious mental health issues, which have required periods of hospitalisation. Psychiatric and probation reports were handed to the court. The court heard the psychiatric report states that Kletzander was feeling rejected by women and receiving messages in his mind, but agreed his behaviour was not appropriate or acceptable.
Kletzander was formerly a student at Trinity College, but was unable to complete his studies due to his mental health issues. He is on a new medication regime and appears to be doing better.
Kletzander had “started life and studies with such hopes, but they were to be dashed due to behavioural problems,” Mr Rea said.
The defendant’s older brother died last August and his parents were in court to support him. The prison service have made arrangements for hostel accommodation in Dublin for Kletzander when he is eventually released. A letter from Focus Ireland was also handed to the court.
Judge Crowe said there were a lot of injured parties in this case and a number of documents that the court must consider. She adjourned the case to June 23rd for finalisation.