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Senan Hogan, 13 Jun
Warning: Reader discretion is advised.
A man sexually assaulted nine different women on various occasions in
Dublin city, including slapping a female garda on the buttocks after he
was arrested, a court has heard.
Kevin Kletzander, of no fixed abode, told gardai he was “looking for
love” when they arrived at the Ilac Shopping Centre to arrest him
following the final incidents on August 28, 2021, Dublin Circuit
Criminal Court heard today.
Kletzander (32) pleaded guilty to nine counts of sexual assault on
August 5, 12, 27 and 28, 2021 at various locations in Dublin city
including the Ilac Shopping Centre, Aston Quay, Usher Island, Grafton
Street and Store Street Garda Station. He has no previous convictions.
Judge Orla Crowe adjourned the case to June 23 for finalisation.
Detective Garda Mark Costello told Grainne O'Neill BL, prosecuting,
that the first victim was on Grafton Street on August 5, 2021 at
appropriately 8.40am when she saw a man walking towards her. She
noticed him as he looked odd and she feared he wanted to steal her
handbag. Instead, he put his arm under her skirt and touched her crotch
area.
The woman screamed and Kletzander let go, before walking off in another
direction. She later saw him in St Stephen's Green and made a report to
gardai.
On August 12, 2021, Kletzander sexually assaulted three women by
grabbing their crotch areas in separate incidents at Stephen's Green,
Aston Quay and Usher’s Island. In a fourth incident on the same day, he
ran at a woman, who had gotten off a bus in the Usher’s Island area,
and hit her in the crotch area with his fist.
Separately, a 32-year-old woman was in the Ilac Shopping Centre on the
afternoon of August 27, 2021. She was watching her son play, when she
was grabbed on the buttocks from behind and pushed forward.
An investigating garda said Kletzander then walked several steps in
front of this woman, before turning back towards her. She used a buggy
as a shield as she was concerned, he was going to attack her again.
The woman screamed and Kletzander walked away. She was left in pain and
shock following the incident.
The next day, another woman was walking into the Ilac Shopping Centre
at 8.15am, when Kletzander, who was walking in the opposite direction,
asked her for a “blowjob”. She was shocked and froze. Kletzander then
grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her head towards his crotch
area. She screamed and he backed off.
A short time later in the same area, Kletzander was sitting at the
entrance to the shopping centre and shouted at a woman on a bike that
he could “see her vagina”. She got off her bike and he grabbed at her,
putting his hand up her skirt, touching her crotch and stomach area.
The woman was very shocked and scared during the assault. A passer-by
shouted at Kletzander and scared him off.
Kletzander was arrested shortly afterwards in the Ilac Centre, before
he sexually assaulted the female garda at Store Street Garda Station by
slapping her once on the buttocks.
A compilation of CCTV was played to the court.
One victim impact statement was handed in, but not read aloud.
When interviewed, Kletzander admitted being at St Stephen's Green, but
made no comment in relation to the other incidents. Det Gda Costello
agreed with Ms O'Neill that Kletzander accepted what he had done, but
the tenor of the conversation was that he didn't feel he had done
anything wrong.
The investigating gardai agreed with Luigi Rea BL, defending, that the
injured parties were relieved by Kletzander's guilty pleas. Kletzander
had no inhibitions and carried out these actions in front of hundreds
of people, the court heard.
Kletzander has been in custody since August 2021, and had been living
in hostel accommodation in recent years.
Mr Rea told the court his client has serious mental health issues,
which have required periods of hospitalisation. Psychiatric and
probation reports were handed to the court. The court heard the
psychiatric report states that Kletzander was feeling rejected by women
and receiving messages in his mind, but agreed his behaviour was not
appropriate or acceptable.
Kletzander was formerly a student at Trinity College, but was unable to
complete his studies due to his mental health issues. He is on a new
medication regime and appears to be doing better.
Kletzander had “started life and studies with such hopes, but they were
to be dashed due to behavioural problems,” Mr Rea said.
The defendant's older brother died last August and his parents were in
court to support him. The prison service have made arrangements for
hostel accommodation in Dublin for Kletzander when he is eventually
released. A letter from Focus Ireland was also handed to the court.
Judge Crowe said there were a lot of injured parties in this case and a
number of documents that the court must consider. She adjourned the
case to June 23 for finalisation.