Courts / Ireland / Report
Judge says defendant's forgiveness of abuser 'took her breath away'
Summary
During a Central Criminal Court sentencing hearing, a 36‑year‑old woman who had endured years of grooming and sexual abuse by her older cousin publicly forgave him, a gesture that moved Judge Caroline Biggs. The man, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape of his younger cousin, with the abuse occurring between 1999 and 2005 when the victim was nine or ten and the perpetrator about fourteen. He had 12 prior minor traffic offences and was named in eight counts on the indictment. The judge, noting the victim's extraordinary capacity for forgiveness and her prior compassion toward the defendant, imposed a headline sentence of seven years, reduced by 10 % for the guilty plea and 30 % for mitigating factors. The final sentence was four years and two months, with the remaining 14 months suspended under conditions to support his reintegration. The judge thanked the victim for her court attendance.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge says defendant's forgiveness of abuser 'took her breath away'. Charges or matters: two counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape of his younger cousin on the second day of his trial last February after she gave evidence against him. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 1999 Incident
- March 2005 Incident
- 2025-05-30 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: two counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape of his younger cousin on the second day of his trial last February after she gave evidence against him (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: After she jailed the man for three years today, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs said this interaction between the complainant and the defendant "took my breath away". "She is an extraordinary human being," the judge said of the complainant in the case, noting that she had previously shown compassion and courtesy to the man. "The fact she has the capacity to forgive is extraordinary." The 40-year-old Meath man, who cannot be named to protect the anonymity of the victim, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and two counts of rape of his younger cousin on the second day of his trial last Febr She sentenced the man to four years and two months and suspended the final 14 months on a number of conditions, to ensure he has supports while re-entering society.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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