Man allegedly committed sexual act at Laois playground
The incident took place at the Skate Park in Portlaoise Leisure Centre Playground
A MAN who was allegedly seen masturbating in the skateboard area of a children’s playground in Portlaoise was brought before last week’s sitting of the local district court.
Judge Susan Fay imposed reporting restrictions on identifying the 28-year-old, who was charged with the offence of exposure of a sexual nature with the intent of causing fear, distress or alarm in another person at Laois Leisure Centre, Park Drive, Moneyballytyrrell, Portlaoise on 19 August 2023.
Det Garda Michael O’Donovan said that the defendant, in reply to the charge, said: “I want everything to be behind me. I want to settle everything.” He said the director of public prosecutions had directed that the case be heard by summary disposal (at district court level).
He told the court that on 19 August 2023, gardaí received a report of a man acting suspiciously in the skatepark area of the playground in the leisure centre.
Det O’Donovan said the report received “was about a man who had his trousers down, his penis exposed and masturbating. When the manager of the leisure centre approached the man, he zipped up his trousers and walked away.” When asked by Judge Fay who had initially made the report to gardaí, Det O’Donovan said: “It was a woman who went into the reception of the leisure centre at 2.50pm that day and had her children with her.” Judge Fay adjourned the case to 26 January to consider jurisdiction in the case.
