Courts / Offaly / Report
Judge pays tribute to "determination and bravery" of sisters for reporting sexual abuse
Summary
In a 2016 Offaly case, Thomas Moran, aged 52, was convicted of 13 counts of indecent assault on his sister Roisin between 1981 and 1984, when she was eight. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts against sister Dolores between 1980 and 1983, when she was 12 to 15. Both sisters waived anonymity and testified. The judge, Justice Robert Eager, sentenced Moran to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, citing his juvenile status during much of the offending and his unlikely re‑offending. He praised the sisters' determination and bravery for reporting the abuse, which began after their father's death when Moran assumed the "man of the house" role. The sisters endured family upheaval and guilt, and only after a nervous breakdown in 2000 did Roisin report the abuse to Gardaí in 2012, following the Jimmy Saville case.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge pays tribute to "determination and bravery" of sisters for reporting sexual abuse. Charges or matters: seven charges of indecently assaulting another sister, Dolores McIntyre, between April 1980 and September 1983, when she was aged between 12 and 15 years old. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- January 1981 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 1984 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 1980 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 1983 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2016-11-15 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: seven charges of indecently assaulting another sister, Dolores McIntyre, between April 1980 and September 1983, when she was aged between 12 and 15 years old (Proven)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Sentencing Moran to three years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended, Justice Robert Eager paid tribute to the "determination and bravery" of the sisters for reporting the sexual abuse. The judge said if Moran had not been a juvenile during much of the offending, he would have imposed a lengthier sentence.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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