Courts / Cork / Report

Five-year jail term for child sex assault is upheld

Summary

Seán Garvey, aged 52, of Hartland's Avenue, The Lough, was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 10‑year‑old girl at a Cork house on 6 February 2016. He pleaded not guilty but was convicted by a jury and sentenced on 1 June 2017 to seven years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended. The victim, who is not related to Garvey, was awakened around 3 a.m. when he lifted her from bed, dragged her downstairs by the wrist, and touched her vagina and chest while attempting to remove her clothes. She managed to kick him, escape, and alert an adult. Garvey's appeal against the sentence was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, which found no error in principle. The judge noted Garvey's good work record, medical stress and anxiety, and prior unrelated convictions, but emphasised the seriousness of the offence and its impact on the victim and her family. The appeal was therefore dismissed.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Five-year jail term for child sex assault is upheld. Charges or matters: sexually assaulting the girl at a house in Cork on February 6, 2016. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• February 6, 2016 Incident
• June 1, 2017 Other
• 2018-12-03 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

Related court reports

• Mentally ill man who put fellow psychiatric patient in chokehold to be immediately released into care of UK parents
• 'Alternative dispute resolution': man arranged 'straightener' during which dad-of-seven was stabbed to death
• Brothers who sexually assaulted teenage girls in mid-nineties can now be identified for first time
• ESB worker too late to pursue claim seeking €42k in alleged unpaid overtime
• 'No hand, act or part': Osgur Breatnach's wrongful conviction for Sallins train robbery declared a miscarriage of justice
• Migrant engineer who worked 10-hour days for under minimum wage wins €14k

Read the original CNI report