Courts / Dublin / Report
Child abuser's name and address revealed on Facebook, court hears
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, a 59‑year‑old man was convicted of sexually assaulting a four‑year‑old girl he had babysat. The case was notable for the child's testimony, which was given and cross‑examined over nine days. The man denied the charges and was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison, with the sentence running concurrently with a six and a half year term for a second offence. Judge Elma Sheahan highlighted the egregious breach of trust, the premeditated nature of the assaults, and the psychological impact on the child, including night terrors and bed wetting. She noted mitigating factors such as the defendant's psychological vulnerability, his role as a father to a special‑needs son, and his community volunteer work, but declined to suspend any portion of the sentence because he refused to accept the verdict.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Child abuser's name and address revealed on Facebook, court hears. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- July 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2020-04-22 Publication
Why: Judge Sheahan said that because he refuses to accept the guilty verdicts there was nothing to justify suspending a portion of the prison term to incentivise rehabilitation. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; A man has been jailed for eight and a half years for the repeated sexual assault of a four year old child his partner was babysitting.
Places mentioned
Topics
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