Sean Thackaberry remanded over release condition breaches

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Sean Thackaberry appeared at the Central Criminal Court on 22 January 2018 over non-compliance with the conditions of his release. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy remanded him in continuing custody until 5 March 2018 for reports to be prepared before deciding whether to impose some or all of his suspended sentence.

Thackaberry had initially been charged with rape. He later pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, a plea accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. In November 2013 he was jailed for seven and a half years, with the final two and a half years suspended. He was released from prison in June 2017.

The assault occurred in Kildare town on 30 January 2011. Thackaberry was walking Michelle Hennessy home when he threw her over a wall and sexually assaulted her. Passing gardaí heard her screams and gave chase. The court heard that Hennessy later took her own life after facing intimidation and bullying connected with the attack.

Probation officer Dermot Lavin said Thackaberry was required to attend probation meetings and report changes of address. The court heard he had missed 12 meetings. Lavin said he had moved to an unapproved address close to Hennessy’s family, and the court heard he had breached the Sex Offenders Act by moving without notifying gardaí or probation services.

Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC described the missed meetings as a significant issue, but said Thackaberry had contacted his probation officer and explained his reasons on most occasions. Bowman said he was detoxing on a methadone programme in custody and sought reactivation of only part of the suspended sentence so that supervision could continue after his release.

The court also heard that Thackaberry had recently received a three-month sentence for an assault committed in custody while serving his original sentence. The proceedings were reported on 22 January 2018.