Man jailed for sexual assault

An English man with 95 previous convictions has been jailed for four years for sexually assaulting a woman

An English man with 95 previous convictions has been jailed for four years for sexually assaulting a woman. Anthony Goodman seemed to have spent almost his lifetime incarcerated and all it had done was institutionalise him, said Judge Cyril Kelly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Kelly said the prognosis for Goodman was "extremely bleak". He had not responded to community-based sanctions previously and had threatened social workers. Goodman (52), married and the father of two, originally from London with an address at Gardiner Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the 20-year-old woman on January 19th, 1996.

Goodman was arrested the day following the assault and made a statement of admission. He declined to stand in an identity parade, saying he did not want to cause his victim any more distress. Drink was a factor in the case.