This article is from page 1 of the 2006-10-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
CLARE TD, Pat Breen, came under fire yesterday from a rights group for sex abuse victims. The row arose after he tabled a Dail question asking when a jailed Clare sex offender would be eligible for early release.
In a written question to Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, Deputy Breen asked when 74-year-old bachelor farmer, Joseph Nugent, from Dromellihy, Cree, would qualify for early release.
A farmer of 65 acres, seven miles from Kilrush, Mr Nugent was jailed four years ago and is currently serving two six-year and one three-year concurrent sentences in Portlaoise prison and is due for release with normal remission on February 9, 2008.
The cases against Mr Nugent involved two young boys and, imposing a sentence of six years in November 2002, Judge Brian McMahon said that Nugent had acted in a premeditated and predatory nature for his own self-gratification and beastly pleasure.
The judge added that the abuse on a neighbour, who was aged eight when the abuse started, involved the use of physical violence by an adult on a young child.
Colm O’Gorman of the One-inFour group said he would be appalled if any TD would intervene on the issue of early release of a convicted sex offender.
“I am not saying that Deputy Breen was trying to manipulate the system by placing this question, but it is difficult to see how it could be appropriate. The most benign take on this matter is that Deputy Breen made a representation on behalf of a constituent without knowing the full facts of the case.”