Chiropractor who sexually assaulted six of his female patients has been allowed return to the US after appearing at Galway Circuit Court yesterday. He is required to return to Ireland next July. Later, outside the court, some of his victims protested at the decision.
Joseph Stone (39) from Roswell, New Mexico, had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing and the judge had adjourned sentencing until yesterday to allow time to establish whether the authorities in the US could monitor conditions of bail which might be set by an Irish court.
Stone, who operated a clinic at Lower Newcastle Road, Galway, since 1998, sexually assaulted the women between July 1999 and last March.
He told gardai when arrested that all Irish people were sexually repressed and 200 years behind the times. He said he was the next best thing to Jesus Christ and his patients thought so too.
At a previous court sitting it was stated that Stone suffered from a psychiatric disorder known as bipolar affective disorder and a cocktail of anti-depressants and whiskey had led to him to commit the offences. He would require lifelong medication for his illness.
In court yesterday, Mr Francis Comerford, defending, said that a prison sentence would be of no benefit to the victims, to society or to Stone.
Remanding Stone on bail, Judge Carroll Moran said: "I am conscious that from the victims' point of view this matter had not been finalised, but I'm trying to strike the right balance here."
Afterwards, one of Stone's victims spoke of her disappointment at the decision.
"It just doesn't seem fair. I don't think he has suffered, but his victims have. He gets to go home to his family in the States.
"That is what he wants and he is getting it, but we have to live with this over Christmas and for another seven months. We thought it would be all over today and we could get on with our lives."