Courts / Waterford / Report
Council worker pleads guilty to rape and abuse of girls
Summary
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, 65‑year‑old Bartholomew Prendergast pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault against his sister‑in‑law, Stephanie Hickey, aged 12‑15 at the time, and to one count of indecent assault against Deirdre Fahy, aged 13‑14, and two counts of indecent assault against a third woman, aged 9‑12. The offences occurred between 1979 and 1991 in County Waterford and County Tipperary. Prendergast, a former Waterford County Council worker and local musician, had recently retired and had no prior convictions. The court adjourned the case to 26 November for sentencing, after the judge remanded him in custody and revoked his bail. The hearing included victim impact statements from the three women, who described the abuse and its lasting effects. No further legal actions were announced at this stage.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Council worker pleads guilty to rape and abuse of girls. Charges or matters: the offences following a day of legal argument after a jury had been sworn-in for his trial; two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault of his sister-in-law Stephanie Hickey at locations in Co Waterford and Co Tipperary on dates between 1983 and 1987; one count of indecent assault against Ms Fahy on a date between 1979 and 1981, while she was aged between 13 and 14 years old; two counts of indecent assault of a third woman, now 39 years old, on dates between 1988 and 1991, while she was aged between nine and 12 years old. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 1981 Other
- June 1988 Other
- December 2015 Incident
- April 2016 Incident
- November 26 Adjournment
- 1983 and 1987 Incident
- 1979 and 1981 Incident
- 1988 and 1991 Incident
- 2018-07-30 Publication
Why: " "I lost my virginity because of you and I wasn't even old enough to understand what you were taking from me. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: the offences following a day of legal argument after a jury had been sworn-in for his trial; two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault of his sister-in-law Stephanie Hickey at locations in Co Waterford and Co Tipperary on dates between 1983 and 1987; one count of indecent assault against Ms Fahy on a date between 1979 and 1981, while she was aged between 13 and 14 years old; two counts of indecent assault of a third woman, now 39 years old, on dates between 1988 and 1991, while she was aged between nine and 12 years old (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The Waterford county council worker will be sentenced next November for the sexual abuse and rape of the sisters and a third woman over the course of 12 years.; Ms Justice Eileen Creedon revoked Prendergast's bail, remanded him in custody and adjourned the case to November 26, next.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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