An Armagh man who slapped the bottom of a teenage girl has been handed a five-year sexual harm order.
The 60-year-old was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to two counts of common assault in January.
Eugene Geraghty, of Mellifont Park, appeared as an application was made for a Risk of Sexual Harm Order at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
Prosecuting barrister Malcolm Irvine stated: “It is by agreement that this application for a Risk of Sexual Harm Order is placed on this defendant for a period of five years.
“The defendant was convicted earlier this year for a section 42 assault but because this is not open to a SOPO (Sexual Offences Prevention Order) instead a sexual harm application had to be made.”
He commented that “elements of the offences were sexual”.
District Judge Paul Copeland ascertained that Geraghty was aware of the terms of the order.
It was heard there were prohibitions on; staying at an unapproved address, approaching the complainant, unsupervised contact with young people (with familiar exceptions), actions which afford him access to young people and refusing police access to his residency.
Judge Copeland warned the defendant: “Any violation which leads to you being convicted could have the possibility of a custodial sentence.”
