A convicted sex offender who refused to apply for therapy in prison has been denied early release. The 52-year-old Kildare man, who was sentenced to 6 1/2 years, said he had been counselled on an individual basis by a qualified priest while in Arbour Hill Prison.
In January he had been moved to the Curragh Prison. The Department of Justice refused him permission to see a private counsellor there, paid for by his brother, but he had been offered the choice of returning to Arbour Hill to continue counselling with the priest. He turned the offer down because he wanted to stay in the Curragh Prison, he said.
In the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Mr Justice Geoghegan said the man could apply again to the court for a review in 1999.
At an earlier hearing the man was asked why he had not applied for the group therapy programme in Arbour Hill. He replied: "I don't think I could sit down and discuss my problems in that type of situation. I know there is lots of talk outside".
His counsel, Mr Patrick MacEntee SC, said it was questionable whether prison-based group therapy programmes for sex offenders worked at all.
Mr MacEntee said a prisoner could be put at substantial risk as a result of matters revealed during group sessions becoming the subject of gossip among the small prison population.
The defendant sought early release to enable him to attend group therapy sessions at the Granada Institute in Stillorgan which is run by St John of God's. He was very remorseful for his offending and wanted treatment, Mr MacEntee said.