This article is from page 3 of the 2008-02-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
The 75-year sex offender at the cen- tre of a political storm last year is set to be released from prison next weekend after serving five years and three months in jail.
Bachelor farmer, Joseph Nugent, from Dromellihy, Cree is due for release from the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on Saturday, February 9.
The possible early release of Mr Nugent was the subject of separate representations to the Munister for Justice from Minister of State Tony Killeen and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Bue
Last year, Minister Killeen apolo- gised to Mr Nugent’s two victims af- ter a Freedom of Information request found that his constituency office made two separate representations in 2005 seeking early release for Nu- gent on the grounds of his “age, bad health and fear for his life”.
Minister Killeen said that he did not have any knowledge of either let- ter sent to the then Minister for Jus- tice, Michael McDowell.
In October 2006, Deputy Breen ta- bled a Dail question enquiring into the possibility of Mr Nugent being eligible for an early release.
In response, Minister McDowell said: “In view of the very serious na- ture of these offences, I am not pre- pared to authorise any form of early release in this case.”
Nugent is now in the last week of two concurrent sentences of six years and one sentence of three years in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.
The cases against him involved two young boys. Imposing a sentence of six years in November 2002, Judge Brian McMahon said he had acted in a “premeditated and predatory na- ture for his own self-gratification and beastly pleasure” and that the abuse on a neighbour, who was aged eight when the abuse started involved the use of physical violence by an adult on a young child.
In the ensuing political controversy, Deputy Breen blamed the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell and sections of the media for causing an unnecessary storm.
He had a phone conversation with one of Nugent’s victims and in a let- ter to a second victim, who he also met, Deputy Breen stated that the issue “would never have been the subject of public debate 1f it had been handled in the normal way.
“However, the Minister for Justice in his Dail reply provided unusual and extensive detail about the case which clearly identified those in- volved. This directly led to it becom- ing a public issue because certain sections of the tabloid media saw an opportunity to create sensational headlines without showing any re- gard for the pain and suffering it would cause to the victims.
Critical comments by Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn and Joe Carey ITD, two of Deputy Breen’s general election running mates, prompted Deputy Breen to issue a letter threatening libel proceedings.
At the time, Deputy Breen said that he tabled the Dail question after be-
ing approached by a relative of Mr Nugent to inquire into the question of early release.
“IT was not making representa- tions on behalf of Mr Nugent and I wouldn’t be in favour of an early release in the case. It was a terrible case.” he said
Deputy Breen said that he was aware that Mr Nugent was a sex of- fender but wasn’t aware of all of the facts in relation to the cases.