A 31-year old Ennis man, who has pleaded guilty to sending lewd images of himself to his counsellor and masturbating in public places in Ennis, has committed his third and fourth offences of a sexual offensive nature while on bail.
At Ennis District Court, solicitor, Shíofra Hassett said that her client, Shane McCarthy is pleading guilty to two separate charges of engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at two separate addresses at Lough Vella, Lahinch Rd, Ennis on August 3rd last.
Mr McCarthy of Shanballa, Lahinch Rd, Ennis was on bail at the time for other sexual related offences and the latest offending followed Judge Adrian Harris relaxing Mr McCarthy’s bail conditions to allow him to return to Ennis to live with his family.
Mr McCarthy – who remains on bail pending sentence – had been living in Galway with a Muslim cousin and Judge Harris allowed McCarthy to return to Ennis in July so he could access his aftercare more easily for a residential treatment course he had completed for his cocaine addiction.
After his August offences, Mr McCarthy’s bail conditions have again banned him from Ennis and he is currently residing in Galway once more as part of his conditional bail.
Ms Hassett said that she would be requesting an updated Probation Service report for Mr McCarthy for sentencing for all matters.
Ms Hassett said that Mr McCarthy is attending aftercare currently after completing the residential treatment programme.
Ms Hassett confirmed that Mr McCarthy was pleading guilty to all matters before the court including the most recent August offences. Sentencing has been already adjourned a number of times this year to allow Mr McCarty attend the residential treatment programme.
Mr McCarthy has pleaded guilty to sending four lewd images of himself to his then addiction counsellor on May 5th last year.
Mr 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.
Mr McCarthy has also pleaded guilty to masturbating in a public place on December 18th last at Ballyalla Lake on the northern outskirts of Ennis.
Mr McCarthy has also pleaded guilty February 15th this year 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 offences at Ballyalla and at Cahercalla were also committed while Mr McCarthy was on bail.
Solicitor, Daragh Hassett for Mr McCarthy told the court previously that Mr McCarthy “has a has a very, very serious cocaine addiction which has led him to act out in the most unusual ways”.
Mr Hassett told Judge Harris that Mr McCarthy’s cocaine intake resulted “in a complete disinhibition in how he behaved around certain individuals”.
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 Mr McCarthy’s penis.
Judge Harris has remanded Mr McCarthy on continuing bail to appear in court again on November 4th for finalisation.
