Sentence adjourned for 'habitual sex-offender'

A serial sex offender described by gardaí as "a danger to women" and is currently serving a prison term has had his sentence for the sexual assault of a young Japanese woman adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Derek Caffrey, aged 40, of Edenmore Gardens, Raheny pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of the woman in the women's toilet at Barry's Hotel, Great Denmark Street on February 12, 2006.

Caffrey has four previous convictions for sex offences and is currently serving a six years jail term imposed last December at the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a woman who he had told his mother would like to meet her because she was "well-spoken" and "a snob".

Detective Garda Pat Keegan told Ms Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, that Caffrey was a "habitual sex offender" who was "a danger to women".

Judge Frank O'Donnell, heard that despite his four convictions, Caffrey has not received any specific treatment for sex offenders, said: "The public have to be protected; this man is a danger."

He adjourned the case so that details of a four year post release supervision program due to start at the end of his six-year sentence could be provided to him.

Det Gda Keegan said that Caffrey had asked to join the Japanese woman and her boyfriend who were drinking in the hotel bar at their table, telling them he was a security man.

He said the victim left the table to go downstairs to the ladies toilet and while she was in a cubicle she heard some one call out: "Are you ok, are you ok?"

She did not answer as she did not recognise the voice but when she opened the cubicle door Caffrey was standing in the ladies toilet. She went to move past him to the sinks and he approached her.

Det Gda Keegan said Caffrey held her hands and rubbed her waist and breasts while she cried out "no, no, no". Caffrey was attempting to pull down his trousers but the victim managed to get out to the corridor where her screams attracted hotel staff to her assistance.

One staff member told gardaí she heard screaming from the basement and then heard a mans voice saying "calm down, relax".

She said she saw Caffrey coming up the stairs with the victim behind him and alerted the doorman to stop Caffrey leaving before gardaí arrived.

Det Gda Keegan said when interviewed Caffrey said he "did nothing wrong" and "didn't go near the girl". He told gardaí she had fallen down and he was helping her up.

Det Gda Keegan said much of the interview consisted of Caffrey "rambling" and said "it was unsettling for those who had to listen to it".

He agreed with Mr Michael Bowman BL, defending, that Caffrey had "psychiatric difficulties with a history of committal in the UK and Ireland". He also agreed that although the victim had been extremely distressed at the time she was "a robust young lady".

Mr Bowman said Caffrey had sporadic employment over 20 years as a kitchen porter and had also spent time in the Merchant Navy during which time he claims he was raped at least nine times by ship mates.

Mr Bowman said Caffrey suffered from a combination of schizophrenia and a psychotic mood disorder and that his adherence to his medication regime had been "sporadic at best".