Courts / Ireland / Report
Elderly man gets extra jail time for abuse of son
Summary
In 2018, a 74‑year‑old unnamed man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for 17 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault against his son between 1981 and 1992. The sentence included a final three years and three months suspended, and the man was offered €10,000 restitution, which he accepted. The Court of Appeal, after an appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions, found the original nine‑month jail term "unduly lenient" and increased the custodial period to two years. The appeal court noted that the abuse occurred in various parts of the family home and at the man's workplace, involved masturbation, oral sex, rubbing from the waist down, and an attempted anal penetration that stopped when the victim complained of soreness. The victim, who became depressed at age 21 and was hospitalised, eventually disclosed the abuse to the Gardaí. The unnamed 74-year-old pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Elderly man gets extra jail time for abuse of son. Charges or matters: 17 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault in Co Offaly between 1981 and 1992, when his son was aged nine to 21. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- March 21, 2018 Incident
- 1981 and 1992 Incident
- 2019-05-27 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: 17 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault in Co Offaly between 1981 and 1992, when his son was aged nine to 21 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with the final four years and three months suspended by Judge Keenan Johnson on March 21, 2018. Mr Justice Edwards, who sat with President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice Michael Peart, re-sentenced the man to five years imprisonment with the final three years suspended.; His return to custody was put back to allow him get his affairs in order.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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