A DISTRICT court judge told a registered sex offender that there is ‘absolutely no excuse’ for him not telling gardaí where he was living following his release from prison.

Judge Joanne Carroll was dealing with the case of Frank Barrett at Clonakilty District Court last week where she sentenced him to four months in prison.

Mr Barrett (41) of no fixed abode, appeared via video link from Cork Prison where is currently serving a sentence for an unrelated matter.

He pleaded guilty to Section 12 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001 for failing to notify gardaí within three days of his release of his address. He also pleaded guilty to the possession of cannabis.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge Carroll that Mr Barrett’s failure to notify gardaí of his address was a breach of his obligations under the Sex Offenders act.

‘During the course of his arrest at his brother’s house in Dunmanway gardaí found cannabis valued at €20 in a room that he was staying in,’ said Sgt Mulcahy.

The court heard that the accused has 59 previous convictions including rape, assault and road traffic offences.

Defence solicitor Sean Cahill said his client had been living rough in Cork city and then moved to Dunmanway and admits he didn’t notify gardaí in Dunmanway as it isn’t a 24 -hour garda station.

Judge Carroll said there is ‘absolutely no excuse’ that he was in the area for three nights in Dunmanway and failed to notify gardaí that he was in West Cork where the injured party in a rape case lives.

She sentenced him to four months in prison for failing to notify gardaí of his address and backdated it from February 11th last when he went into custody.

She took into consideration the possession of cannabis charge.