'High-risk sex offender' caught by Garda spy op

A Garda spy operation in the Southern Region led to the arrest of a 'high-risk sex offender' who tried to hide his movements after release from prison. File picture

A Garda spy operation in the Southern Region led to the arrest of a “high-risk sex offender” who tried to hide his movements after release from prison.

The individual was brought before the courts and had their suspended sentence reactivated.

The incident is one of a number of cases highlighted in the Garda Commissioner’s August report to the Policing Authority.

It details how, on August 16 last, members of the Surveillance Unit in the Southern Region set up on operation with the release of a “high-risk sex offender from prison”.

The surveillance operation was part of a multiagency response under Sex Offender Risk Assessment and Management (SORAM).

The commissioner’s report said that, upon release, the sex offender failed to comply with conditions imposed by their suspended sentence. He used the rail and bus network to hide his tracks and moved between “a number of counties throughout the country”.

The report said: “The capabilities and expertise of the Surveillance Unit allowed them to monitor the movements of this offender, which resulted in their subsequent arrest."

Courts reactivated suspended sentence

On August 19, the courts reactivated the prisoner’s three-year suspended sentence.

In a second, and separate, case last month, the Organised Prostitution Investigation Unit (OPIU) within the Garda National Protective Services Bureau (GNPSB) provided assistance to a Divisional Protective Services Unit in Dublin.

“The investigation concerns a number of alleged serious attacks, rapes and false imprisonment, where the suspected victims are associated with the sex trade,” the report said.

It said a suspect in this investigation had been charged in respect of a number of alleged serious offences and is currently in custody awaiting formal directions from the Director of Public Prosecution.

The report said: “It is anticipated that the successful outcome of this investigation will encourage other persons who are associated with the sex trade and who are victims of serious crime, to report the fact to An Garda Síochána.” 

In a third case, the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau provided assistance in retrieving evidence from a number of locked mobile phone devices.

This followed the arrest and detention of a suspected offender in connection with suspected serious terrorist related offences and the possession of a firearm.

“Significant evidence in respect of terrorist and firearms related offences, in addition to child abuse related images, have been retrieved from devices examined,” the report said.