Courts / Dublin / Report

Convicted child rapist further jailed for abuse of niece over 30 years ago

Summary

A 65-year-old man was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the sexual abuse of his niece. The defendant, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexually assaulting the girl between 1992 and 1998, when she was aged four to ten. Judge Martin Nolan jailed the man for a further 21 months, to be served consecutively to the nine-and-a-half-year sentence he is already serving for offences committed between 1984 and 1986, for which he was jailed in 2022. Prosecution evidence indicated the abuse occurred at the victim's grandparent's home in Dublin. The victim, who made a formal complaint in February 2023, described the man as grooming her and detailed the long-term psychological impact, including paranoia, depression, and suicidal thoughts. The defendant admitted to an additional incident not previously known to gardaí. Defence counsel Michael Bowman SC submitted that the man understood the lifelong consequences of his actions. Judge Nolan described the conduct as a severe breach of trust, noting the considerable age difference and stating there was no excuse for the behaviour. The judge accepted the guilty plea and the defendant's remorse but emphasised the lasting harm to the victim's peace of mind and her fear for her own children.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Convicted child rapist further jailed for abuse of niece over 30 years ago. Charges or matters: three charges of sexually assaulting the girl on dates between 1992 and 1998 when she was between four and ten years old. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• February 2023 Incident
• 1992 and 1998 Incident
• 1984 and 1986 Incident
• 2025-03-25 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

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Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report