Man jailed for childhood sexual abuse

By Isabel Hayes

A man who sexually abused his young niece when he was a teenager over a prolonged period of time has been jailed for two years.

The 33-year-old man, who can’t be named to protect the anonymity of his victim, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight counts of sexually assaulting his niece at various locations in Offaly on dates between June 18, 2004 and June 17, 2008.

She was aged between six and nine at the time, while he was aged between 13 and 17.

The abuse occurred primarily at the girl’s grandparents’ home when she was being minded and where her uncle was living with his parents at the time.

His parents – the girl’s grandparents – continue to support him.

Sentencing him today, Mr Justice Paul McDermott noted that people who might have offered support to the young woman when she came forward about the abuse had instead been “dismissive of the deep trauma caused by (the abuse).”

“The entire family relationship has been disrupted as often happens in such situations where the abused child is blamed by some for speaking up on the terrible crimes committed upon her,” the judge said.

The judge noted a Probation Services report found the man had demonstrated little insight or remorse.

He maintained that he was very young himself at the time of the offending.

The judge noted that while he was 13 years’ old when the abuse started, it continued for a prolonged period of time, ending when he was 17 years’ old.

He noted the man is “talented” and “well-educated”. “I have no doubt he knew what he was doing was seriously wrong,” the judge said.

He noted the man had pleaded guilty to eight separate and serious offences of sexual assault of the child. He said these were clear and unambiguous acceptance of his guilt and “the truth of the matter”.

The court heard the abuse involved the teenager repeatedly touching his niece inappropriately, penetrating her digitally, making her perform oral sex on him, humping her and showing her pornography.

On one occasion, his friend hid in the wardrobe and recorded some of the abuse on a phone, the court heard.

In her victim impact statement which she read out in court earlier this week, the now 26-year-old woman said it has been 20 years since her uncle first started abusing her.

She showed a framed photo of herself aged six to the court, saying: “I was a cheery, happy friendly child, which it makes it harder for me to accept that that little six-year-old was hiding everything that happened to her.”

The court heard that the woman started suffering from flashbacks when she was 18 and got in touch with her uncle on social media to tell him she remembered what he had done.

He wrote back: “I remember too. I hope you’re OK.” He added that he was “young and stupid” at the time.

But despite these admissions, the man maintained his innocence to family members and fought the charges until his Central Criminal Court trial was about to start, when he entered the guilty pleas.

The woman said she has suffered with depression, severe anxiety, stress, paranoia and self-harm as a result of the abuse she suffered at his hands.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said he was a “manipulator” who manipulated everyone around him and continued to lie about the abuse, even after he confirmed the abuse in his social media messages to her.

“I have lost family because of you,” she said.

She said it was particularly hurtful having to tell her grandfather about the abuse and then be left wondering why he was protecting his son and not her.

She said she was asked by family members if she was sure she wanted to pursue the case and was told to move on with her life.

“Being told to move on is the highest insult,” she said. “Because that is what I am doing and I’m doing it as I process the abuse.”

She said she had been abused in her grandparents’ home where she should have been safe, and by someone she should have been safe with.

“He manipulated everyone around me,” she said, adding she was the one made to feel like she was on trial.

“But (he) is the criminal here, not me.”

The woman’s grandparents have stood by their son and were in court to support him, along with his partner.

The court heard the man worked in finance, most recently in London.

He took the stand and told the court he was very sorry for what he had done. He has no previous convictions.

His partner also took the stand and outlined the difficulties they will have in the future as a result of his convictions and his being on the sex offenders register.

She said they have had to put their lives on hold, including marriage and children, as a result.

Defence counsel Colm Smyth SC urged the judge to be as lenient as possible.

Mr Justice McDermott said that had he been sentencing him as an adult, he would have set a headline sentence of eight years.

He reduced it to a headline of three years and six months, given he was underage at the time of the offending.

He further reduced this to two years, taking a number of mitigating factors into account, including his lack of previous convictions, his guilty pleas and the fact he has been assessed as at a low risk of re-offending.

He declined to suspend any part of the sentence, noting the man’s stated intention to return to the UK once he has served his sentence.

He backdated it to Monday, when he went into custody.