Gardaí have arrested a serial child sex offender who went missing hours before he was convicted of sexually assaulting seven boys.
James Lombard, 36, went missing on 7 February, four days into his trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on child sex abuse charges.
The jury, which was not told about his disappearance just hours previously, returned unanimous guilty verdicts on seven counts of sexually assaulting boys aged from seven to ten in fast food restaurants, toilets and swimming pools in Cork in the early 1990s.
Gardaí conducted extensive searches for Lombard which were stepped up last Friday after a judge lifted a ban on naming him.
He was arrested at Carrigaline in Co Cork this afternoon on foot of a bench warrant which had been issued for his arrest.
Lombard was taken to Togher Garda Station before he was brought before Cork District Court this evening.
Judge Tim Lucey granted Lombard free legal aid after he was told that he was not working and was in receipt of social welfare.
An application by garda Inspector Denis O'Shea to remand Lombard in custody was granted and he will be brought before the circuit court in Youghal tomorrow.
