Man sentenced to 12 years in jail for aggravated sexual assaults on women

A MAN has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for violent sexual attacks on two woman in north Co Dublin.

A MAN has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for violent sexual attacks on two woman in north Co Dublin.

Patrick Fogarty (43) of no fixed abode pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court yesterday to aggravated sexual assault, false imprisonment and assault causing harm to a woman in Malahide, on the nights of April 21st-22nd and April 24th-25th, 2007.

The Wolverhampton-born man, who has been homeless for more than half his life and who became black from not washing, also admitted attacking a school teacher on Velvet Strand, Portmarnock, on April 24th, 2007.

Det Garda Brian Pentony told Martina Baxter, prosecuting, that Fogarty had convictions in Britain for assault causing harm, possessing a blade, criminal damage and theft.

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He declined social welfare when he came to Ireland in 2005, so that he would not have money for drink, and scavenged for food in supermarket bins.

Det Garda Pentony agreed with Luán Ó Braonáin SC, defending, that a local man used to leave food out for him and gave him €350 to visit his aunt in Tipperary.

Instead, though, he "went on a four-day bender" and attacked the women.

Mr Justice Paul Carney directed that Fogarty's name be added to the register of sexual offenders and ordered that he undergo 10 years of post-release supervision.

He also imposed concurrent sentences of seven years for the kidnap charge and four years on each of the assault charges.

Det Garda Pentony said the Malahide woman's ordeal began when she was woken on the night of April 21st-22nd after a grinning Fogarty came in, uninvited, with a dog to where she was staying and said: "It's me, Paddy."

She screamed and told her that if she did what he said, he would not hurt her. Fogarty then tried to have sex with her and repeatedly hit her over the head while sexually assaulting her.

Det Garda Pentony said she thought she was going to be raped and killed. The assault lasted all night. They left together the following morning and, when he jumped over a wall, she ran to a friend's house.

She showed gardaí his hat and the string with which he had tied her.

Det Garda Pentony said a 25- year-old teacher was walking along the beach at Portmarnock on the evening of April 24th, when Fogarty struck her with a glass bottle and tried to drag her into bushes.

He had her in a headlock with his hand over her mouth, but she bit him, broke free and shouted. Fogarty then ran along the beach to where his first victim was staying in Malahide and told her: "You're mine now. I'm staying here with you."

"She was rigid with fear," Det Garda Pentony told Ms Baxter.

Fogarty then tied her up and abused her all night. Every time she said "no", he hit her over the head. When she said someone might come in the morning to check on her, he dragged her out into bushes, where he tied her up again, but she escaped and ran to the Garda station.

Det Garda Pentony agreed with Mr Ó Braonáin that Fogarty handed himself in to Malahide Garda station in November 2007.

Mr Ó Braonáin told Mr Justice Carney that Fogarty had inherited an alcohol problem from one of his parents and a psychiatric illness from the other.