A Lithuanian man who returned to Northern Ireland illegally after he was deported following a rape conviction has been sentenced to four months in prison.
Ramunas Jocius (51), appeared before Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday via videolink from Maghaberry, charged with entering the UK in breach of a deportation order and being a sex offender failing to notify police of a change of address.
At the outset of the hearing, the court was told that the defendant was pleading guilty to both charges.
The prosecution then outlined that the defendant is a category-two, medium-risk registered sex offender, having been convicted of rape in 2018.
As a result of this conviction, he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and was subsequently deported from Northern Ireland in 2020.
On June 22 this year, police were made aware that the defendant was back in his previous address on Ripley Terrace in Portadown.
They confirmed on July 5 that the defendant had failed to notify police of his change of address as per requirements.
On July 18, he was located at the address with his partner. He was arrested and made full admissions at interview, claiming that he was back in Northern Ireland to retrieve medical records.
A defence solicitor then told the court that his client, who has been in custody since July 18, had returned to collect his belongings in the town, adding: “He was here illegally, so in all likelihood, he will be deported again.”
District Judge Bernie Kelly sentenced the defendant to four months in custody in respect of the charges, alongside imposing the £25 offender levy.
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