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Abuser was on bail for defilement of a child when he sexually assaulted partner's best friend
Summary
Richard Walsh, 32, of Lisminton, Ballintra, Co Donegal, was sentenced to seven years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for the sexual assault of a woman in her 20s. Walsh pleaded guilty to the offence, which occurred on December 13, 2020, at his home in Ballintra. Justice Tony Hunt described the incident as a serious sexual assault, noting that Walsh's guilty plea was compelled by independent corroboration rather than remorse. The judge reduced a headline sentence of eight years to seven to account for the plea. Walsh was ordered to serve the full term, followed by three years of supervision, including notifying the Probation Service of his contact details and engaging in offence-focused work. The court noted that Walsh was on bail for an unrelated defilement charge at the time of the assault. He had previously pleaded guilty to defilement of a child under 17 and received a custodial sentence of one year and eight months in January 2023. Justice Hunt stated that Walsh's previous conviction complicated sentencing and that his apology carried little weight. The victim, who wished to retain anonymity, stated that the assault ruined her life and caused serious depression. The judge commended her strength and noted that Walsh's misconduct rightly resulted in community shunning.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Abuser was on bail for defilement of a child when he sexually assaulted partner's best friend. Charges or matters: defilement and in January 2023 received a custodial sentence of one year and eight months. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 13, 2020 Incident
- December 23, 2011 Incident
- January 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-02-16 Publication
Why: She said she pursued the case for five years because she "truly couldn't live the rest of my life knowing he could do this to another woman". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: defilement and in January 2023 received a custodial sentence of one year and eight months (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: At a sentence hearing today Justice Tony Hunt said this was a serious sexual assault.
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