A man has been ordered by the Central Criminal Court to pay an extra £3,000 on top of the £6,000 he has already paid, to a neighbour for sexually assaulting her during 1994.
Mr Justice Kinlen stressed the court was not measuring damages. The woman was entitled to take a totally separate civil action against John Shiel if she wished.
Shiel (26), a single man of High Street, Ballyragget, Kilkenny, committed the offence on April 4th, 1994. He pleaded guilty in December 1995 and the case was adjourned on bail to allow him to raise the £6,000.
Sgt John Lynn told prosecuting counsel Mr Oliver Hughes that Shiel had complied with the order and had been of good behaviour since the offence.
Defence counsel Mr Thomas Slattery SC said the £6,000 had been paid within six weeks of the court order by a credit union loan.
Mr Justice Kinlen remanded the offender on bail to January 28th, 1998. He also ordered Shiel to pay the woman another £3,000 by that date and warned him not to interfere with her or her family.
Mr Justice Kinlen said while he was not guaranteeing anything, if the money was paid by then, he would consider imposing a suspended sentence.