Five family members convicted of child sexual abuse charges

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Five family members were convicted at the Central Criminal Court on 6 August 2021 after a trial concerning the sexual abuse of three children. The jury returned guilty verdicts on 77 of 78 charges.

The children’s parents were also convicted of wilfully neglecting five of their children. The offences took place in Munster on unknown dates between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016.

All five defendants had denied the charges.

The father was found guilty of 31 counts: six of rape, six of sexual assault, three of permitting others to engage in sexual activity with a child, three of sexual exploitation, 10 of wilful neglect and three of mistreating children by giving them medication. Three additional counts were withdrawn during the trial.

The mother was found guilty of 25 counts: 10 of sexual assault, three of permitting others to engage in sexual activity with a child, two of sexual exploitation and 10 of wilful neglect.

The children’s aunt was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault. Her husband was found guilty of 10 counts: five of sexual assault, three of sexual exploitation and two of rape. Two additional counts against him were withdrawn.

The Journal reported that the children’s 27-year-old uncle was found guilty of six counts of rape and two of sexual exploitation, and acquitted of one count of sexually exploiting the girl. One additional count was withdrawn.

The case against the children’s grandmother was withdrawn by direction of the judge. The uncle’s partner was found not guilty by direction of the trial judge.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded the five convicted family members in custody. The case was due to return on 4 October 2021 for a sentencing date to be set.