Convicted rapist failed to sign Sex Offenders’ Register
A convicted rapist failed to register as a sex offender while out on bail for two months awaiting sentence, following his conviction by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Former Ros na Rún actor and ‘Ratpack’ singer Garrett Phillips (47), had denied a charge of orally raping a then 20-year-old student at a Galway City location in November 2015, during the four-day rape trial last April.
The jury found him guilty and he was allowed out on bail in May by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon to await sentence on July 9 last.
In the intervening period, however, Phillips failed to present himself to Gardaí, to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
He subsequently received a six-year prison sentence in July and is expected to serve four-and-a-half years with remission.
He was brought in custody from the Midlands Prison before the holiday sittings of Galway District Court last week, where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of failing to notify Gardaí of his name(s), date of birth, and home address on April 26 last, while being a person to whom the Sex Offenders Act 2001 applied.
Sergeant Finbarr Philpott, prosecuting, said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the charge be dealt with at District Court level.
Garda John Horkan gave evidence of charging Phillips with the offence at Galway Courthouse that morning. He said Phillips had replied: “I didn’t know” when the charge was put to him.
Judge Fiona Lydon noted the guilty plea before adjourning the matter to September 10 for sentence.