Courts / Ireland / Report

Father-of-five to be sentenced later for indecently assaulting his sister-in-law over 40 years ago

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 74‑year‑old man was found guilty of 11 counts of indecent assault on a 53‑year‑old woman between 1971 and 1974. The woman, who was 10 when the abuse began, described repeated sexual assaults at the man's Kerry home, including incidents where he would pull her bed sheets off while she slept. She reported the abuse to her family in 1986 but only to Gardaí in 2007. The man denied the allegations when questioned in 2008. The jury agreed on eight of the eleven counts, with disagreement on the final three. The sentencing is scheduled for May 8. The case highlights the long‑term impact on the victim, who suffered depression, anxiety and flashbacks, and the court's consideration of the defendant's age and lack of prior convictions. The unnamed 74-year-old pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Father-of-five to be sentenced later for indecently assaulting his sister-in-law over 40 years ago. Charges or matters: 11 counts of indecent assault on various dates between January 1, 1971 and December 31, 1974. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• January 1, 1971 Incident
• December 31, 1974 Incident
• May 8 Incident
• January 2008 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2015-04-27 Publication

Why: by Declan Conlon A Kerry woman who was sexually assaulted by her brother-in-law over 40 years ago has said that she did not complain about what happened at the time because she "was taught not to question my elders". CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report