Galway man fails to overturn indecent assault convictions

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

A Galway man failed to overturn five indecent assault convictions at the Court of Appeal on 17 December 2024. Ms Justice Tara Burns dismissed his appeal, ruling that the jury verdict was properly open to them and that the trial judge was entitled to refuse separate trials. He had been convicted at Galway Circuit Court on 30 November 2022 and sentenced by Judge Brian O’Callaghan to 23 months in prison on 15 June 2023. The man pleaded not guilty. The proceedings were reported on 18 December 2024.

The convictions concerned two sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law, who were children, including three assaults against the brother-in-law. His barrister argued that inconsistencies and the complainants’ accounts made the verdicts perverse, and challenged the refusal to sever the indictment. The State opposed the appeal.