Man detained in NI allegedly convicted of Dublin rape

A 42-year-old Eritrean man, Teklemariam Lijam, has been detained in Belfast on allegations that he was previously convicted of rape in Dublin under a different identity, according to the High Court of Belfast. Prosecutors claim Lijam used various aliases to avoid authorities about his criminal history. The man, who has no fixed abode, now faces charges of not registering as a sex offender, providing false information to police, and perverting the course of justice.

Refusing bail, Lady Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan stated that there were no conditions under which she would release him. Lijam was arrested in March following an Interpol request to locate a high-risk sex offender in Ireland, using the name Bereket Mekonnen. Irish authorities were seeking him for failing to inform them of an address change after serving a jail term in 2007 for rape.

Fingerprints associated with Mekonnen were found on Lijam, according to Crown counsel. Lijam entered the UK in 2024, but is now facing charges for another exposure offence, the court was told. It is alleged that Lijam intentionally provided false information to confuse the courts. During interviews, he did not deny being the individual in a newspaper photograph from the earlier case, but could not confirm its accuracy due to language barriers.

Bail was denied, with concerns raised that he may re-offend or flee the jurisdiction. Justice Keegan expressed skepticism that any conditions could address the risks involved.