Convicted rapist Eoin Berkeley has appeared in court charged with criminal damage after allegedly setting fire to two industrial bins.

Berkeley (25) is serving a 14 year sentence for the repeated rape of a Spanish student on an area of wasteland in Sandymount in July 2017.

The student told a court she believed she was going to be killed by Berkeley, who kept her captive for 21 hours.

Berkeley, who is originally from Finglas, told the terrified teenager he had killed six people as he threatened to smash her head with a stone, and said he would cut her hands off with a saw.

The victim, then 18, was raped three times before Berkeley finally fell asleep and she ran for her life.

Berkeley pleaded guilty last November and was sentenced to 14 years.

He was taken from the Midlands Prison this morning and appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at a sitting of Dublin District Court in the Criminal Courts of Justice.

Garda Christopher Lanney gave evidence of arresting him at the court and putting the criminal damage charge to him.

The charge is that on May 31 2017 committed arson by setting two industrial bins on fire at Liberty Lane in Dublin 8 intending to damage the property or be reckless as to whether the property would be damaged.

Berkeley made no reply when charged, the court heard.

Judge Carthy remanded Berkeley in custody for one week.

Berkeley’s solicitor Tony Collier sought disclosure of CCTV footage and a memorandum of garda interviews.

This was granted by the judge.

Mr Collier also successfully applied for free legal aid.

Berkeley did not speak during the short hearing.

Wearing dark blue jeans, rolled  up at the bottom, and Doc Martens boots, he kept his hands in the pockets of his blue anorak and looked around the court.

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