A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years for assaults on two women in Dublin last year.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Patrick Fogarty, a homeless alcoholic originally from England, attacked a woman who was walking on Portmarnock beach and later a woman whom he sexually assaulted and held prisoner over night.
Passing sentence today Mr Justice Paul Carney said the appropriate sentence was 15 years but he took into account the fact that Fogarty had handed himself into gardaí and had pleaded guilty at an early stage.
During yesterday's sentence hearing the court was told that Fogarty had attacked a school teacher on Portmarnock beach in April last year.
He had hit her over the head with a wine bottle and tried to drag her into nearby bushes.
She escaped by biting his hand while he had her in a headlock.
He later assaulted a woman who was living rough in Malahide and held her captive over night on two occasions while repeatedly assaulting her physically and sexually.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said Fogarty's dysfunctional background carried little weight regarding mitigation.
He also said alcohol afforded no defence or mitigation of one's responsibilities to society.
The judge imposed concurrent sentences for 12 years for aggravated sexual assault, seven years for false imprisonment and four years for assault.
He also directed that Fogarty be registered as a sex offender and undergo ten years post release supervision.
