A Limerick taxi driver who raped a student passenger has had his sentencing adjourned after telling the Central Criminal Court he was not being properly cared for in custody.
John Ryan, 43, of Clonard, Westbury, Co Limerick, is an amputee and said he was 'in agony' after developing an infection in his leg while in prison because he was not allowed to take a bath.
He was remanded to Cloverhill Prison last November after a jury unanimously convicted him of raping a student passenger in October 2007.
At the Central Criminal Court today he said he complained to prison authorities after developing an infection in 'a hole in his leg'.
He said prison medical staff used toilet paper from a cell used by three others to clean his leg. He said he could not have a bath in prison and did not take a shower for three weeks.
His sentencing was due to take place today but Mr Justice McCarthy said he would adjourn sentence for three weeks. He said the man's medical condition would be relevant to the sentence.
The judge said he would not hear an application to investigate the circumstances of the Mr Ryan's detention until the State had been notified.
He adjourned that matter for two weeks.
At Ryan's trial last year, his 21-year-old victim said she had taken a taxi home after a night out with friends. Ryan had driven her to a secluded location and raped and sexually assaulted her.
She tried to take a picture of him with her mobile phone but he grabbed it from her. She then grabbed a receipt before leaving the taxi and Ryan was tracked down by gardaí.
He had denied raping the young woman and said she had initiated sex.
