A convicted Clare sex offender has been found guilty by a jury of sexually abusing two of his daughters in a Co Offaly townland and may now have a previous suspended sentence reactivated.
A Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury found the man guilty on 10 counts of sexual assault on two of his daughters on dates between September 2001 and December 2004. He was acquitted on one count.
Garda Lorraine Fahy told prosecuting counsel Úna Ní Raifeartaigh that the man received two concurrent 10-year sentences from the Central Criminal Court in 1993 for aggravated sexual assault and burglary with the final six years suspended on condition that he stay away from two Limerick villages and not reoffend during the six years.
Ms Ní Raifeartaigh noted that one of his 10 new convictions was for an offence committed within that six years and said he now faced a possible consecutive sentence because the six years suspended portion of his 1993 sentence might be reactivated by the Central Criminal Court.
Gerard Groarke, defending, said the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had abided by bail conditions and he asked for a remand on bail pending sentence.
Judge Desmond Hogan said bail was granted on the presumption of innocence but the man had been found guilty of "most serious offences" as well as having previous serious convictions and would be remanded in custody. He directed the preparation of victim impact reports for the sentence hearing.
Judge Hogan also told Ms Ní Raifeartaigh and Mr Groarke that he wanted to be addressed by both sides at the sentence hearing concerning the issue of his power regarding consecutive sentencing in this case.