Babysitter who sexually assaulted child on multiple occasions to be jailed for one year
The Wicklow PeopleA man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, with the final six months suspended, for multiple counts of historic sexual assault committed when he was a teenager
The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the anonymity of his victim, appeared at a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for the finalisation of his sentence.
He was found guilty at trial in late 2025 of six counts of historic sexual assault.
Counsel for the prosecution, James Kelly, told the court that the man, who was a teenager at the time, was known to the victim's family when he sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions. She was aged between six and seven.
The court heard that the complainant's parents would leave him to babysit, and on the first occasion the accused began rubbing his genitals on the victim’s back before he ejaculated on her.
She testified at trial that the defendant threatened her after the first incident by telling her: "If you tell anyone I will bury you with a shovel."
Mr Kelly recapped a second sexual assault, when the defendant got into bed beside her and rubbed himself against her genitals, leaving a "warm fluid on her".
The court was told that the abuse continued on several more occasions, including an incident when he cornered her in the sitting room of her family home by telling her "I have something to show you", before he used her hand to masturbate himself then ejaculated on her.
Prosecuting counsel stated that during the final sexual assault he used a similar modus operandi, but that the victim's sister was also present.
Mr Kelly added that the complainant went to gardaí in May 2018 and had previously disclosed the abuse to a boyfriend.
In her victim impact statement, read to the court by prosecution counsel James Kelly, she said that the abuse had had a significant effect on her relationship with her own children.
She said she felt the accused was staring at her in court and smiling, which caused significant trauma.
Senior Counsel for the defence, Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha, instructed by junior counsel Jack McCabe, remarked that his client has no previous convictions and is a full-time carer for his elderly mother, and that at the time of the incidents he was “dysfunctional and refused to go to school”.
He added that the accused does not accept the verdict of the jury and, in the absence of mitigating factors, intends to appeal the jury’s findings.
Defence counsel also noted that during interview with gardaí, his client denied all of the allegations.
The court was told that, due to the defendant’s age at the time, his culpability must be considered, and that his anonymity should be upheld given his age and the victim not wanting to be named publicly.
Judge Patrick Quinn adjourned the matter for finalisation.
When proceedings resumed for that finalisation, Mr Kelly stated that the Director of Public Prosecutions deemed the offence to fall within the mid-range category (three–six years) of the sentencing scale.
Mr Ó Lideadha made reference to decisions from the Sentencing Council of England and Wales, noting that discounts in the region of 50pc to 66pc off headline sentences may apply.
He also cited a case in which an offender, convicted of eight counts of sexual assault and four counts of oral rape, received a sentence of four years imprisonment, with two and a half years suspended.
The court was told that the case involved aggravating factors, including the vulnerability of the victims and the nature of the offences, which included ejaculation, but due to the offender being a minor at the time of the offending, he would receive a reduced sentence.
In mitigation, Mr Ó Lideadha remarked that the appeal would be made on several factors, but his client “led an exceptional law-abiding life and was immature for his age”.
A letter from the accused’s mother was also handed in, stating that since the investigation her son had become “anxious, depressed, and overweight”.
Defence counsel submitted that any sentence handed down should not be consecutive but only concurrent.
Judge Quinn agreed with Mr Ó Lideadha and imposed a sentence of 18 months for all counts, suspending the final six months.
A stay was placed on the sentence to allow the accused to appeal, and he was directed to hand himself into a garda station, near where he will begin his sentence.