Courts / Dublin / Report
Abuser avoids jail on condition he stay away from children
Summary
A 45-year-old man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexual assault committed at a boy's home in May 2013. The defendant, who met the victim's mother through a dating website, initially denied the charge but pleaded guilty the day before his trial. Judge Melanie Greally, who had previously adjourned the case in February 2019 while placing the man on a 12-month probation bond, imposed a 12-month prison sentence today. This sentence was suspended in full on the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months. Additionally, the judge imposed a 10-year condition prohibiting unsupervised contact with children and barring him from the immediate vicinity of creches, schools, playgrounds, or other areas where children congregate. The judge warned that breaching either condition would result in the man being jailed for a year. The court heard that the man had two previous convictions for theft and had attended 44 psychotherapy sessions. While acknowledging the offence was in the lower range of sexual offending, the judge noted the serious impact on the victim, who is now 16, and his mother. The defence highlighted the defendant's remorse, history of depression and anxiety, and low risk of re-offending.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Abuser avoids jail on condition he stay away from children. Charges or matters: sexual assault at the boy's home in May 2013. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- April 2013 Incident
- May 2013 Incident
- February 2019 Adjournment
- October 2013 Incident
- 2020-07-13 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: sexual assault at the boy's home in May 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Today she sentenced him to 12 months in prison which she suspended in full on condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for those 12 months. She warned the man that if he were to break either of these two conditions he would be brought back before her and jailed for a year.; Judge Melanie Greally had adjourned the case after hearing evidence in February 2019 and placed the man on a 12 month probation bond.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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