A notorious British paedophile has returned to Britain after coming to Dublin this week to attempt to start a new life. Mr Robert Oliver, convicted of manslaughter and described by British police as a "considerable threat" to young men and boys, arrived in Dublin on Tuesday. Some 10 days earlier, he had been forced to leave a housing estate in Swindon, Wiltshire, by angry residents who had discovered his identity.
He arrived by ferry in Dublin Port and booked into a hostel in the city centre. The Garda was alerted to his movements and a detective went to the hostel to speak to him. The next day, Mr Oliver took the ferry back to Liverpool.
Garda sources made it clear that the force had no powers to order him to leave the State. However, it is understood that once he was contacted by the Garda, and realised his movements in the State might be tracked, he decided to return to Britain.
There were angry scenes at Swindon two weeks ago when Mr Oliver arrived at the housing estate, after being released from Wandsworth prison, where he had served eight years of a 15-year sentence for the manslaughter of a 14year-old boy.
The boy, Jason Swift, died after being drugged and abused by a gang, including Mr Oliver, in Essex in 1985. Mr Oliver was jailed for his involvement in 1989.
Under a register system for paedophiles, British police, social services and education authorities in Wiltshire were alerted to his movements after he left Wandsworth. The three groups held a meeting to discuss how to protect boys on the housing estate.
However, word of Mr Oliver's presence became public and angry residents gathered outside his house, shouting and screaming. Local officers had to guard the house.
Later police said Mr Oliver had left the area but his destination was unknown until he booked the trip to Dublin.
There is no equivalent to the British paedophile register in the Republic. The Department of Justice has said it is considering such a system and will give its views in a discussion paper. Opponents of the scheme argue that it could only record convicted paedophiles and might represent only 10 per cent or less of paedophiles in any community.
However, the Rape Crisis Centre and the ISPCC have said such a register would have merit and should form part of a more comprehensive system to protect the young.