Man remanded after pleading guilty to Mullingar sex attacks

A man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three young girls by following them into various restaurants and shops earlier this year.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was brought before Judge Bernadette Owens at a sitting of Mullingar District Court last Thursday week.

The court was told the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for "summary disposal" of the case on a guilty plea only.

The accused, who is in custody, entered the guilty pleas, as well as a guilty plea to a burglary in May, meaning that the case could be heard in the District Court instead of the higher Circuit Criminal Court, which has broader sentencing powers.

The court heard the first two incidents took place inside two restaurants on March 3 and 23 respectively as both victims prepared to order food.

A further guilty plea was entered in connection to a third incident at a discount store on May 19.

Giving evidence, Detective Garda James Grogan said the first allegation of sexual assault made against the accused occurred when his 18-year-old victim entered a restaurant.

He said the young woman spotted the accused looking at her moments before she walked into its premises.

Det Garda Grogan said within a matter of moments of stepping inside, the accused made his way towards the young woman, grabbing her bottom before leaving the restaurant in haste.

The second episode, the court heard, took place at around 4pm. Like the earlier incident, the second victim, who was aged 15, spotted the accused prior to entering a restaurant.

Judge Bernadette Owens was told how the young girl had been running her eye over a menu on the wall with a friend when the accused poked his head between the pair.

Det Garda Grogan said as the two girls stepped backwards, a man fitting the description of the accused grabbed his victim around the waist and bottom while asking her: ‘Hey, how are you?’.

The incident caused the young woman to push the man away seconds before he ran out the door.

Det Garda Grogan likewise gave evidence of a "strange" burglary that had been reported to gardaí at a retail premises on May 19.

He said a young girl had been working on what was a "very quiet" Sunday afternoon when a man entered the shop after briefly being seen looking through its window.

The court was told that once inside, the male suspect approached the female employee to ask for food or money.

Having left empty-handed, the man returned around 15 minutes later and made his way behind the shop counter, where he repeated his earlier demand, this time in a "relatively threatening manner".

Det Garda Grogan said the man ran from the store moments later when other customers entered, stealing a chocolate bar in the process.

The court heard that when Det Garda Grogan arrived at the scene and began examining CCTV footage, the accused was arrested after inexplicably turning up outside the shop in question. Det Garda Grogan said it was during the transfer of the accused to a local garda station, gardaí were called to a suspected sexual assault at a discount store.

Judge Owens was told the incident took place on the same afternoon as the burglary and Det Garda Grogan told the court there was "no doubt" from the description given by the victim and manager of the store that the same man was responsible for both.

That incident, it was revealed, took place when the young female observed a male staring at her across the street shortly before entering the store.

Once inside, the court was told the victim was followed by her male assailant who within a matter of seconds touched the young girl on the bottom.

Judge Owens accepted jurisdiction, meaning the case could be disposed of in the District Court. That, she said, was based on two main overriding factors, namely to determine the pattern of offences outlined and whether there was any evidence that suggested an escalation in the nature of the offending.

Judge Owens remanded the accused in custody to appear back via video link on October 3.