Five Munster family members found guilty of child sexual abuse

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

Five family members were found guilty of sexually abusing three children at the Central Criminal Court on 6 August 2021. The proceedings were reported on 6 August 2021.

The children’s parents, aunt, her husband and another uncle had denied all charges. Following a 10-week trial at Croke Park, the jury found them guilty of all but one of 78 counts. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded all five in custody ahead of sentencing.

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 Three additional counts against him were withdrawn during the trial.

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

The aunt’s husband was found guilty of 10 counts: five of sexual assault, three of sexual exploitation and two of rape. Two additional counts were withdrawn. The 27-year-old uncle was found guilty of six counts of rape and two of sexual exploitation, and not guilty of one count of sexually exploiting the girl. Another count was withdrawn.

The uncle’s partner was found not guilty by direction of the trial judge, and the case against the children’s grandmother was withdrawn during the trial by direction of the judge. The offences were reported to have occurred in Munster on unknown dates between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016. The matter was due back in court on 4 October for a sentencing date to be set.