Man (30) charged with offensive conduct of a sexual nature at Clare hospital

Gordon Deegan

A 30-year-old Ennis man has appeared in court charged with engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at Cahercalla Hospital in Ennis earlier this year.

At Ennis District Court, Shane McCarthy of Shanballa, Lahinch Rd, Ennis appeared in connection with on February 15th, intentionally engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at Cahercalla Hospital, Cahercalla Road, Ennis, contrary to Section 45(3) Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017.

The court heard that McCarthy made no reply after being cautioned when charged before the court.

Solicitor for McCarthy, Daragh Hassett, said that his client is currently on very strict bail conditions concerning other charges that appear on the court list.

Hassett said that these require McCarthy to reside in Galway.

He said that McCarthy is allowed to return to Ennis on Saturdays, and he had canvassed that McCarthy be allowed to return to Ennis on a full-time basis but the State is opposed to that.

Hassett said that Judge Harris would recall the other matters before the court where McCarthy is due to go into a treatment centre for addiction on June 2nd.

Hassett said that he was seeking disclosure from gardaí in relation to the new matter.

McCarthy has previously pleaded guilty to sending four lewd images of himself to his then addiction counsellor on May 5th last year.

McCarthy has also pleaded guilty to masturbating in a public place at Silver Grove, Ballybeg, Ennis, on August 31st last year and the possession of cocaine on the same date at Ennis Garda Station.

McCarthy is also before the court, where he is charged with masturbating in a public place on December 18th last at Ballyalla Lake on the northern outskirts of Ennis.

Hassett told the court previously that McCarthy “has a very, very serious cocaine addiction which has led him to act out in the most unusual ways”.

Hassett told Judge Harris that McCarthy’s cocaine intake resulted “in a complete disinhibition in how he behaved around certain individuals."

Hassett said that a psychologist's report on McCarthy is available to the court.

Sgt John Burke previously told the court that two of the grossly offensive communications to the addiction counsellor concerned one-second videos of Mr McCarthy’s penis.

Sgt Burke said that four grossly offensive images consisted of two videos and two still images of McCarthy’s penis.

Judge Adrian Harris remanded McCarthy on continuing bail.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.