Courts / Ireland / Report

Boy (13) abused child cousin (6) and threatened to leak images on social media

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 23‑year‑old man was sentenced to three and a half years for sexually assaulting his six‑year‑old cousin between 2013 and 2018. The accused, who was 13 at the time of the offences, had taken intimate videos and photographs of the child and threatened to post them on social media to coerce her compliance. He pleaded guilty on the trial date and had no prior convictions. The assaults involved sexual touching and were carried out at both the accused's and the complainant's homes over a five‑year period. The judge noted the abuse violated the child's bodily integrity and left her feeling helpless, powerless and alone. The final 12 months of the sentence were suspended on strict conditions, with the accused cooperating with Gardaí and meeting bail conditions. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the breach of trust and the impact on the victim and her family.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Boy (13) abused child cousin (6) and threatened to leak images on social media. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• 2013 and 2018 Incident
• 2023-07-14 Publication

Why: Ms Justice Ring said the abuse had occurred because it could and had ceased only because the girl became resistant and not due to reflection on the accused man's part. CNI source report

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Stage Sentence

Read the original CNI report