One of Ireland's most notorious serial sex offenders is back on the streets of Dublin after he was released from prison.
Sex beast Robert Melia, was released from custody on Wednesday morning and is set to live in Dublin City centre.
Melia, who is in his 50s, has multiple previous rape allegations over decades - in one he threatened to chop up his victim as he sexually assaulted her.
A source said: "Melia is out on the streets and there are real fears that he will reoffend. This man is considered one of the country's most dangerous sex offenders.
"He must report to the gardai in seven days to tell them where he is living but he is due to live in a hostel in the city centre.
"He will be closely monitored by gardai and if he is in breach of the terms of his arrest they will deal with him."
Melia has three previous convictions for violent sexual assaults on three separate victims in one month in October 1997.
He received a six year sentence in July 1991, for a rape committed in 1987.
Melia of Shangan Gardens, Ballymun pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in 2015 to charges of false imprisonment, assault causing harm and making threats to kill at the Caulfields Hotel, Dorset Street Lower, Dublin on May 19, 2013.
One of his victims, Debbie Cole, said in the past that she believed he would reoffend.
She said: "Around this time last year my sister rang me and said the guy who had raped me was back up in court.
“He had tried to attack a woman in Caulfield’s Hotel in Dublin. She jumped out the hotel window to get away from him.
“Then it was in the papers and the judge had referred to him as another Larry Murphy, I thought, ‘This is ridiculous’.
“Everytime he’s released from prison, within a short space of time, he’s attacking women again. We have to do something.
“There’s so many rights out there for the criminals but where’s the rights for the victims? They don’t get a voice.”
During his sentencing in 2016 Judge Martin Nolan suspended the last three years of a 10-year sentence on condition Melia be of good behaviour for three years after his release.
He also jailed the father of four for one year for an offence of possessing stolen social welfare cheques at Cappagh Post Office, Finglas on dates in January and February 2013, resulting in an effective eight year sentence.
