Gardaí say a dangerous sex offender who has been at large for almost three weeks may still be in the country and living under a false identity.
James Lombard absconded on the last day of his trial for sexually assaulting seven young boys in Cork City in the early 1990s.
The 36-year-old was convicted in his absence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The Sexual Violence Centre in Cork City said, this afternoon, it was concerned that Lombard had been at large since 7 February, but his name and photograph were not released until Friday last.
Lombard's identity was only released after a court order was lifted. The publication of his name does not identify his victims, who were strangers to him.
Detectives say Lombard has previously used aliases and may well be doing the same at the moment.
He speaks with a Cork accent with a trace of Cockney, having lived in England for a number of years.
British police have also been alerted as part of Garda efforts to catch him.
Lombard was convicted of abusing boys in Co Cork at locations including toilets of fast food restaurants and swimming pools on dates between 1992 and 1994.
Gardaí have urged the public to take time to study a photograph of Lombard that has been circulated to the media.
