Courts / Tipperary / Report
Uncle (64) "terrorised" niece with rape and sexual assault
Summary
An unnamed 64-year-old man from Tipperary was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following an appeal. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, one count of attempted rape, and three counts of sexual assault committed against his niece, who was aged between five and ten, between December 1999 and May 2005. Mr Justice Tony Hunt imposed a headline sentence of 12 years, which was reduced to eight-and-a-half years due to the defendant's early guilty plea and admissions. The final year of the sentence is suspended on the condition that the man remains under Probation Service supervision for two years post-release, resulting in an effective custody period of seven-and-a-half years. The judge noted the defendant's limited cognitive ability and lack of previous convictions. The court heard allegations that the man terrorised the victim, who is now 23, and that the abuse caused severe long-term psychological harm, including depression and suicide attempts. The judge stated he would have imposed a longer sentence but was constrained by Court of Appeal guidelines. The matter was finalised with this sentencing.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Uncle (64) "terrorised" niece with rape and sexual assault. Charges or matters: one count of rape, one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault of the girl between December 1999 and May 2005. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 1999 Incident
- May 2005 Incident
- New Years Eve 1999 Incident
- 2018-03-23 Publication
Why: Reading from her victim impact statement, the woman said she became depressed as a teenager and was afraid to share with her mother what was wrong, "because be a good girl and don't tell mammy and daddy was stuck in my head". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of rape, one count of attempted rape and three counts of sexual assault of the girl between December 1999 and May 2005 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: By Aoife Nic Ardghail A man who raped and sexually abused his niece has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years. Handing down a sentence of eight-and-a-half years with the final year suspended, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he would have given a much longer sentence but he did not have "carte blanche" in relation to sentencing, in a reference to the Court of Appeal. "If I was left to my own devices he'd be getting a much longer sentence.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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