Courts / Limerick / Report

'You have a voice': survivor's message to victims as pensioner to be sentenced for 1970's abuse

Date
2026-04-20

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

A now 75-year-old Limerick man, Tom White, repeatedly groped and sexually abused a young girl when they were neighbours more than 50 years ago, the Central Criminal Court has heard. White had regular access to the girl's house and repeatedly touched her inappropriately and subjected her to lewd commentary and physical abuse, his sentence hearing was told today. White went on to marry, had three children, and never came to garda attention in the intervening 50 years, his sentence hearing was told. His victim wishes for White to be named but wants to maintain her anonymity, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon was told. White, of Brookhaven, Montpelier, Co Limerick, was found guilty by a jury of 10 counts of indecent assault of the girl at her home and his home in Limerick on dates between August 1971 and August 1976 following a trial earlier this year. He was acquitted of a number of other counts on the indictment. The complainant was aged between 13 and 16 at the time of the offence, while White was in his 20s.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'You have a voice': survivor's message to victims as pensioner to be sentenced for 1970's abuse. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

August 1971 Incident
August 1976 Incident
June 15 Adjournment
2026-04-20 Publication

Case subjects

Tom White

Applicant

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; Tom White had regular access to the girl's house and repeatedly touched her inappropriately and subjected her to lewd commentary and physical abuse, his sentence hearing was told today. White went on to marry, had three children and never came to garda attention in the intervening 50 years, his sentence hearing was told.; Ms Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned the matter for sentence on June 15.