A County Tyrone man “considered a danger to females”, who is awaiting trial for raping a woman he met through a dating website, has been returned to custody after breaching bail terms.

The disclosure was made as Cathal Patrick Feeney (34), formerly of Main Street, Beragh – but who after a lengthy remand in custody was released on bail to an address in Londonderry – is accused of attacking the woman in her home on March 7, 2020.

She met Feeney through the Plenty of Fish dating site two weeks beforehand, and no issues occurred.

On the date of the alleged incident, they had dinner at an Omagh hotel, during which the complainant noted Feeney became "paranoid and argumentative".

She felt uncomfortable and decided to leave, but within minutes of entering her house, Feeney arrived at the door.

She agreed to let him in but stipulated there would be no sexual activity.

It is alleged he ignored this, pulling off the complainant's pyjamas and holding her down by the arms, while raping her.

She cried out and shouted, but he paid no attention. When he eventually stopped, the complainant fled and contacted her sister.

Feeney was arrested, charged and refused bail after the court heard he is “considered dangerous to females. He has a significant record of 67 offences, some of which are of a domestic nature. He is managed by a specialist unit as a violent offender. A previous female victim was left at very high risk of domestic violence."

Bail was eventually granted with strict conditions including not being in the company of any females including while in police custody. The one exception was contact with his mother, and he was to not possess an internet-capable mobile phone.

During a special sitting of Dungannon Magistrates Court, a detective from the PSNI Rape Crime Unit strongly opposed bail due to the nature of the breaches.

He said on February 11, shortly after 10.30pm police conducted a bail check at Feeney’s current address, enquiring if a female was present, which he denied.

However, on entering the property, a partially-clothed woman was discovered in the bedroom as well as an internet-capable mobile phone.

Feeney also appeared intoxicated and refused to provide an evidential breath specimen.

The detective said: “The defendant shows little regard for the court orders. If convicted of rape at trial, he is facing the possibility of a long custodial sentence, which he may try to avoid. He may also interfere with witnesses.

"The complainant in this matter is still in fear he will turn up at her home, and has taken measures for her security.”

He continued: “There is strong public feeling about the defendant, given the type of offending, especially in the Omagh area.

"A number of rapes have allegedly occurred over the past few months, including stranger-rape.

"The defendant has disregarded his bail conditions, and reneged back to his behaviour, facilitated by getting himself a mobile phone with internet access.

"He contacted another female, invited her to his home, clearly in breach and knowing police could carry out a bail check.”

A defence solicitor said the breaches were accepted, but Feeney “provided a context”, claiming his mother left her phone behind after visiting him.

In respect of the female, it was contended “she had already entered my client’s premises before he returned home that day”.

However, District Judge Steven Keown enquired: “Did his mother leave the female there as well as the phone?”

Throwing out the application, he said: “This is a high-risk offender who has shown he cannot be managed on bail.”