Suspected sex offender used 27 aliases abroad before posing as a minor in Ireland

Tom Tuite

A suspected sex offender with an unconfirmed identity used 27 aliases in the UK and France before arriving in Ireland, where he attempted to impersonate a minor, a court has heard.

The man, claiming to be in his 30s and from Syria, has been in the country for at least a year, and was charged on Wednesday with failing to tell authorities his address under the Sex Offenders Act.

He was held pending his appearance at Cloverhill District Court, where Judge Patricia Cronin heard that gardaí remain uncertain about the latest name he has given, and he has allegedly been linked to various other identities used abroad.

Clontarf Garda Patrick Watson told a contested bail hearing that the man was arrested in Dublin but would not give his name, resulting in extensive enquiries at a national and international level.

The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) had no record of him under the name he had given.

Colleagues in Cork alerted him that the accused was known there under a different name, and extra enquiries were made with Interpol, revealing the accused had six separate identities in France and 21 in the UK, and another four in Ireland.

Garda Watson said the man, who cannot currently be named for legal reasons, was also subject to the obligations of the sex offenders register. The court heard gardaí have yet to establish exactly how long the man, who has no passport, has been in the state.

The court heard that at one stage, he contacted Tusla, claiming to be a minor, and the child and family agency "carried out tests and established that this was not the case".

The court heard he never presented to the GNIB or international protection services.

Garda Watson maintained that the accused, who did not address the court, was elusive when asked to give his background information.

The defence stressed the man denied being the person named on the charge sheet, but the prosecuting Garda replied, "The fingerprints say otherwise."

His barrister submitted that the accused still enjoyed the presumption of innocence, and would obey strict bail conditions and lodge €500, all his money.

The defence said he had no passport, but the Garda said he could not be sure that was the case.

The offence carries a maximum 12-month sentence.

He was remanded in custody with consent to bail and will appear again next week to formally enter a plea and have a later hearing date set if he contests the charge.

Disclosure of prosecution evidence was ordered.

In her bail ruling, Judge Cronin noted the prosecution evidence, defence submissions and case law stating conditions should always be considered to avoid having to refuse bail, if that is possible.

She set his bond at €500 and required approval of a €1000 independent surety. The accused must also provide a confirmed address, mobile phone number, and a valid identity document.

If the terms are met, he can be released but must sign on daily and obey a 10pm-7am curfew.

He also has to stay in custody for several months in relation to other proceedings.