Tom Tuite
A fourth man has been barred from a major Dublin city-centre department store after he was charged with performing a sex act on himself there.
Gerard McVeigh, 42, who is of no fixed address in Dublin 22, is accused of an offence contrary to the Sexual Offences Act for public masturbation at Marks & Spencer on Mary Street on June 16th last.
He appeared at Dublin District Court after he was charged by Garda John Timmons of Store Street station. Garda Timmons has provided the man’s solicitor with disclosure of prosecution evidence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary disposal meaning the case should be dealt with at district court level. The judge accepted jurisdiction.
He also agreed to a request from the garda to impose a bail condition barring the accused from the department store.
Following an application by defence solicitor Paddy McGarry, legal aid was granted.
Judge Smyth ordered the accused to appear again in September when he will be expected to indicate how he is pleading to the charge.
Undercover Garda surveillance operation
Last week, three other men appeared at the same court accused of lewd behaviour in the same Marks & Spencer store.
They were also ordered to obey a bail condition to stay away from the store on Tuesday.
One of them pleaded guilty to masturbating and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature at the men’s toilets in the store.
He was caught during an undercover garda surveillance operation on June 16 last. The court heard he grabbed an undercover garda’s backside while exposing himself.
The defence said something came over him after he “read the signals wrong”.
Sentencing was adjourned for a probation report to be prepared after Judge Smyth said the court needed to know why he had engaged in this behaviour.
Two other men, including a married father of three, were granted bail to appear in September to enter pleas. They are accused of masturbating in the same toilet in the presence of undercover gardai on dates in June.
