The case against a Kerry man who has pleaded guilty to more than 20 charges of sexual assault and gross indecency against six children was adjourned to next October at the Circuit Criminal Court in Tralee yesterday.
Gustav Dahm (35), Pier Road, Kenmare, will continue to live in an apartment alongside the family guesthouse run by his mother.
Tom Rice, prosecuting, told Judge Carroll Moran that the investigating garda was happy Dahm was complying with bail conditions, including being allowed out for 2½ hours a day, but "undoubtedly some of the injured parties are nervous about the situation", Mr Rice said.
He asked for a short adjournment because the situation gave rise to some concern, especially with the B&B issue. Dahm was living in a separate apartment alongside the B&B and it was his mother, Edel Dahm (68), who was supervising him at night, Mr Rice said.
Dahm has admitted gross indecency, sexual assault and indecent assault between 1988 and 2003.
Det John Evans, who conducted a two-year investigation, said the nature of the abuses came to light when a 22-year-old man came forward to gardaí in 2003. Others were then uncovered. The children were aged from five to 15 years and were lured by Dahm, who offered them money, treats and cigarettes.
He apologised to one victim three years after one incident, Det Evans said.
The court heard how Dahm, who was born and educated in Kenmare and is of German-Austrian parents, had an apartment designed especially to lure the teenagers and had installed expensive disco lights and a sound system. He allowed them to have alcohol and cigarettes and would abuse them when they were intoxicated and unable to fight him off.
He started abusing when he was a teenager. Some of the abuses took place in a swimming pool, others he carried out on the grounds of the house.
Some of his victims were in court yesterday where they gave harrowing accounts of the impact the abuse had had on them.
One young man told Dahm: "You have wrecked my life. My family are also victims. My mother feels she has let me down and tries to take partial blame. I can't get out of my head what you have done to me". He had recurring nightmares and had undergone a personality change.
A young woman said she froze now every time she passed his house. "I feel threatened on my way down to the pier. It brings back all the memories."
Another young man said he thought he was not normal for a long time. Sometimes he thought he would be better off dead. He felt degraded and embarrassed. He was frightened for other children.
"I hope he's never left near a child ever again. I hope to never see him again for as along as I live. He has ruined my life."
The Rev Alan Shaw, Church of Ireland rector in Kenmare, said the Dahm family were among his parishioners. Gustav was very gifted with his hands, especially in mechanical and electrical matters. "My impression would have been he's socially and emotionally quite immature," he said.
John O'Sullivan, defending, said his client was still receiving specialist treatment. This would not be available in custodial institutions and the defence was seeking an adjournment for a psychological report.
Judge Carroll Moran, after reading a report from the Granada Institute, said it was a serious matter and he needed time to consider sentencing. He was aware the injured parties wanted finality and he would pass sentence earlier rather than later. He adjourned to early October.