Courts / Dublin / Report
Jehovah's Witness elder jailed for 3 years for sexual abuse
Summary
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual offences against a woman in County Mayo. Jorge Paris, aged 62 and resident in Dublin, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one of attempted sexual assault occurring between December 2000 and February 2003. The complainant, now 48, was between six and seven years old when the abuse began. Judge Eoin Garavan imposed a headline sentence of six years, subsequently reduced to four and a half years with the final 18 months suspended, citing mitigation including Paris's 25-year employment record and stable 40-year marriage. The judge noted Paris had been removed from the Jehovah's Witnesses congregation following disclosure of the abuse. In her victim impact statement, the woman described lasting psychological and physical harm, stating the offences had destroyed her childhood, adulthood and sense of safety. The defence presented a letter of apology from Paris and a testimonial from his adult daughter.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jehovah's Witness elder jailed for 3 years for sexual abuse. Charges or matters: three counts of sexual assault and one of attempted sexual assault at an address in Co Mayo on dates between December 2000 and February 2003. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 2000 Incident
- February 2003 Incident
- 2025-11-05 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: three counts of sexual assault and one of attempted sexual assault at an address in Co Mayo on dates between December 2000 and February 2003 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Citing mitigation, Judge Garavan reduced the headline sentence to four and a half years in prison with the final 18 months suspended.
Places mentioned
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