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'That baby who no one helped': man tells court of sexual abuse at hands of mother
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Fionn Daly, who had been sexually abused by his mother, Suzanna Hassett, waived anonymity to name her. Hassett, aged 66, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault between 1984 and 1987, when Daly was up to three years old, and to four counts of sexual assault between 1992 and 1995, when he was between seven and 11. She had no prior convictions. Daly described the abuse as occurring while he was in nappies, with his mother masturbating him and using his arm to masturbate herself, and said it happened two or three times a week over 18 months. He had complained to Gardaí in 2017, after which Hassett entered counselling and admitted the offences. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a total sentence of eight years, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including 12 months of probation supervision.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'That baby who no one helped': man tells court of sexual abuse at hands of mother. Charges or matters: 13 counts of indecent assault on dates between 1984 and 1987, when her son was aged up to three years old. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 2019 Incident
- December 2018 Other
- 1984 and 1987 Incident
- 1992 and 1995 Incident
- 2012 and 2014 Incident
- 2022-11-18 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: 13 counts of indecent assault on dates between 1984 and 1987, when her son was aged up to three years old (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He imposed a total sentence of eight years with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions, including that Hassett come under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months post-release. Judge Nolan suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions, including that Hassett remain under the supervision of the Probation Services for 12 months post-release.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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