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Serial offender Watters has sentence for exposing himself to school children cut on appeal
Summary
Serial offender Barry Watters, aged 43, pleaded guilty to public indecency for exposing himself to children on their way to school in Dublin over two days in December 2014, and to possession of child pornography on 20 October 2016. He had previously received several sentences for child porn offences, including a fully suspended two‑and‑a‑half‑year term in 2008, a three‑year term in 2010, and a four‑year term with the final year suspended in 2012. On 7 December 2018, Judge Martina Baxter imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven years, with the final year suspended. On appeal, the Court of Appeal held that the judge had imposed two maximum sentences consecutively, which was inappropriate. Watters was re‑sentenced to five years and eight months imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, subject to strict conditions. The appeal decision was made on 25 June 2019.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Serial offender Watters has sentence for exposing himself to school children cut on appeal. Charges or matters: public indecency, when he exposed himself to a number of children on their way to school in Dublin, over two days, in December 2014; possession of child pornography at Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, on October 20, 2016. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2014 Incident
- October 20, 2016 Incident
- December 7, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-06-25 Publication
Case subjects
Background Person
Charges: public indecency, when he exposed himself to a number of children on their way to school in Dublin, over two days, in December 2014; possession of child pornography at Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, on October 20, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was accordingly re-sentenced to five years and eight months imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended, on strict conditions. Counsel for Watters, Paul Carroll SC, said it was wrong in law for the sentencing judge to have imposed two maximum sentences, made consecutive to one another.
Places mentioned
- Middle Abbey Street
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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