A 40-YEAR-old Clonakilty man has been directed to abstain from accessing the internet or using a smartphone as part of his bail conditions.
A 40-YEAR-old Clonakilty man has been directed to abstain from accessing the internet or using a smartphone as part of his bail conditions.
Michael O’Regan of 22 Assumption Place, Clonakilty appeared at a sitting of Clonakilty District Court this week where he faced 16 new charges.
One of the sample charges alleged that on April 3rd 2016 he did sexually exploit a child contrary to Section 3 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998.
Det Gda Jim Keane gave evidence of his formal arrest on the new charges and told the court he handed him copies of those and the accused gave the same reply of ‘guilty’ to all the charges.
Det Gda Keane said the State had no objection to bail and asked for the accused’s existing bail to be extended to cover the 16 new charges with the same conditions.
However, he also sought two extra conditions that the accused is to abstain from accessing the internet and that he is not to possess a smartphone but just an ordinary phone.
Det Gda Keane added that the State was withdrawing some charges and said that the DPP had consented for the accused to be returned to trial on indictment and that a book of evidence would be served at the next sitting of the court.
Judge Marie Keane released the accused on his own bond of €200 on a signed plea and adjourned the case to a sitting of Clonakilty District Court on November 6th.
Solicitor Plunkett Taaffe sought free legal aid for his client.
