Sentencing of a convicted Dublin rapist for the aggravated sexual assault of a woman he offered to drive home was adjourned in the Central Criminal Court today.
Niall Healy (30), of Palmerstown Woods, Clondalkin, was convicted last June of aggravated sexual assault and falsely imprisoning the then 19-year-old victim, a Kildare woman, five years ago.
She met Healy - who was given a 12-year sentence in 1993 for a previous rape conviction - early in the morning of July 20th, 2001, at a housing estate.
She was looking for the home of a female friend when he approached her and claimed to be the woman's brother. He gave her his mobile phone to contact her boyfriend, who advised her to go back to her own home as he was tired and had to get up early for work.
Healy also spoke with her boyfriend and agreed to drive the woman home. He later parked by a canal and sexually assaulted her.
She struggled to get out of the car, activating her phone in the process, and was followed by Healy to a canal bridge where he assaulted her again and threatened to kill her by drowning.
The boyfriend gave evidence during the trial in June of hearing his girlfriend screaming in the voice mail messages left on his mobile phone.
The application for an adjournment was made by Hugh Hartnett SC, defending, who said that a consultant had been away for a month on holidays and needed further time to compile his report. Mr Hartnett apologised to the victim and to the court for the delay.
Judge Barry White adjourned sentencing for three weeks.
Judge White said: "It would be easy for me to say lock the door and throw away the key but it would go to the Court of Appeal and they would say that wasn't appropriate," he said. "My hands are tied."
Healy was remanded in custody to appear for sentencing again on October 27 th.