RORY O'CONNOR APPEARS IN FERMAINAGH COURT OVER SEX OFFENDER ISSUES

Dangerous rapist Rory O'Connor attended Fermanagh Court on Monday as the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) sought a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) to "protect the public from serious harm" from him. The 45-year-old, who has a history of violence, had been living discreetly at an address in Enniskillen.

The police application highlighted that since his conviction for rape on October 11, 2002, O'Connor’s behavior has raised enough concern for authorities to believe a SOPO is necessary to safeguard the public.

During the hearing, a defense lawyer informed the court that O'Connor was consenting to a Notification Order under Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which requires him to register on the Sex Offenders' Register.

The lawyer also submitted a letter and requested that the press be barred from reporting on the case to prevent public knowledge of the proceedings. He referenced the third paragraph of the letter as the basis for this request. However, District Judge Liam McNally after reviewing the letter, stated he saw no reason to impose such a reporting restriction.

The court then issued the Notification Order for an indefinite period from the date of O'Connor’s conviction.

Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 provides measures to allow police to monitor and manage convicted sex offenders living in the area. Offenders are required to notify the police of personal details such as their name, address, and, since August 13, 2012, bank and credit card information, updating this data whenever it changes.

This information is recorded on the Sex Offenders' Register. Notification obligations are automatically imposed on offenders convicted of specific crimes within the UK, but courts can also mandate these requirements for offenders convicted abroad. The notification period can be either fixed or indefinite, depending on the sentence.

Offenders subject to an indefinite notification period have the option to apply to police after 15 years from their initial notification date to be assessed for removal from the register if they are deemed to no longer pose a threat.