Courts / Wicklow / Report
Judge orders media not to identify sex abuser despite victim's call for him to be named
Summary
A 24-year-old Wicklow man was sentenced today at the Central Criminal Court after being convicted of eight counts of sexual assault following a trial last December. He had previously pleaded guilty to two further counts of sexual assault before the trial commenced. The offences, which occurred between December 2015 and July 2017, involved the defendant, then aged 13 to 15, abusing a girl aged 10 to 11 who was fostered by his mother. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon set a headline sentence of four years, reducing it to three years in light of mitigating factors including his early guilty pleas and lack of previous convictions. She suspended the final year of the sentence on conditions, including two years of Probation Service supervision post-release. The judge also ordered that the media must not identify the offender, despite the victim's wish to waive her anonymity, citing the defendant's age at the time of the offending. Defence counsel had argued for a suspended sentence, highlighting the defendant's youth, remorse, and community support. The court noted the victim's impact statement, which described lasting psychological harm. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence and the anonymity order.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge orders media not to identify sex abuser despite victim's call for him to be named. Charges or matters: eight counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Central Criminal Court last December; two further counts of sexual assault before the start of the trial; following the trial. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- December 2015 Incident
- July 2017 Incident
- February 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2019 Incident
- October 2015 Incident
- September 2019 Incident
- 2026-04-20 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: eight counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Central Criminal Court last December; two further counts of sexual assault before the start of the trial; following the trial (Proven)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; She suspended the final year of the-three year sentence on a number of conditions, including that he remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for two years after his release from custody. Mr Murray suggested the court could impose a suspended sentence.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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