A Galway City Council worker was yesterday given a two-month suspended prison sentence after he exposed himself to a woman and asked her to use a castrating tongs on his private parts.
John Looby (41), Grange East, Turloughmore, Co Galway, was convicted of wilfully, openly and lewdly exposing himself with intent to insult a female at Lackaghmore, Turloughmore on September 8th, 2005.
Athenry District Court heard that Looby pulled down his tracksuit bottoms in the presence of Naomi Armstrong (27), Killeen Gort, Co Galway, and asked her to use a burdizzo, commonly referred to as castrating tongs, on his private parts.
Ms Armstrong had placed a classified advertisement in a newspaper looking for part-time farm work. As she has speech and hearing impairments, she had asked for replies by text message only.
Looby told the court yesterday that he replied to the advertisement: "I may have some work for you with a burdizzo". After a series of text messages between Ms Armstrong and Looby, the city council worker claimed in court that he thought Ms Armstrong might be interested in roleplay.
The separated father of two said he believed that Ms Armstrong was interested in castration. He admitted in court that he had a "certain interest" in it.
Ms Armstrong had claimed she thought Looby wanted her to help him castrate an animal.
The pair went to a chemist shop in Lackagh, Co Galway, where Looby bought a burdizzo and then travelled in Ms Armstrong's van towards Turloughmore. He told the court that as they approached Turloughmore he had "a bad feeling" because her demeanour changed and she became angry and dropped him back to his car.
Looby denied exposing himself in the car and denied he had sinister things on his mind.
Judge Joseph Mangan said Looby had put Ms Armstrong through an "extremely unpleasant experience". He gave Looby a two-month suspended sentence on condition he enters a bond of €1,000, keeps the peace and is of good behaviour for two years.