Courts / Tipperary / Report
Rapist "institutionalised" and abused in industrial school, court hears
Summary
A man from County Mayo has been sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape and sexual abuse of his stepdaughter over an eleven-year period. Thomas Mullarney, aged 61, of Cahir, Louisberg, pleaded guilty to sexual assaults at a Dublin residence between October 2003 and January 2005, and to rape at a Mayo address in November 2011 and September 2014. The abuse began when the victim was approximately six years old and continued into her teenage years. During sentencing, Mr Justice Michael White described the offences as falling at the upper end of serious sexual abuse, noting the victim's trust in Mullarney as a father figure and the systematic grooming involved. The judge acknowledged Mullarney's guilty plea as significant but stated that only the perpetrator bore responsibility for the harm caused. The court heard that Mullarney had experienced institutional abuse during his childhood, though the judge expressed difficulty understanding how such trauma could lead to victimising a child.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist "institutionalised" and abused in industrial school, court hears. Charges or matters: sexual assaults at a house in Dublin on dates between October 2003 and January 2005. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 2003 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2005 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-10-21 Publication
Why: The prosecution indicated to the Central Criminal Court today that the victim wished to waive her right to anonymity in order to have her step-father named. Prosecution account reported by CNI
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: sexual assaults at a house in Dublin on dates between October 2003 and January 2005 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: By Declan Brennan and Fiona Ferguson A man who said he suffered abuse as a resident of Ireland's industrial schools has been jailed for 12 years for the rape and abuse of his step daughter. Mr Justice White imposed consecutive sentences totalling 14 years and suspended the final two years on strict conditions.
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