Courts / Ireland / Report

Family 'shattered' after teen repeatedly raped 'defenceless' younger cousin

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 15‑year‑old boy pleaded guilty to raping his younger cousin, aged seven to eight, on 10 to 13 occasions between June 2021 and November 2022. The offences were committed while both children were staying at their grandparents' house. The victim's parents described the impact of discovering the abuse, noting the family's fractured relationships and the child's ongoing therapy. The defendant, who has no prior convictions, admitted he had been abused as a child and was living with his father at the time of sentencing. Justice Caroline Biggs imposed 18 months' detention under Section 151 of the Children Act, with the remaining 18 months under supervision, and ordered the defendant to be placed on the sex offender register for ten years. The court also prohibited any further contact between the defendant and the victim.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Family 'shattered' after teen repeatedly raped 'defenceless' younger cousin. Charges or matters: two counts of raping his cousin on dates between June 2021 and November 2022 when he was aged between 13 and 14 and his victim was aged between seven and eight years' old. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 2021 Incident
• November 2022 Incident
• 2024-05-15 Publication

Why: "He is so truly loved and supported in every conceivable way," she said before she added that because of this the young boy has the best possible chance of recovery. CNI source report

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Stage Sentence

Read the original CNI report