Man avoids jail after sexually assaulting his half-sister

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

A 34-year-old man was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting his half-sister in 2012. He cannot be named to protect her identity. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, suspended in full, and said the €5,000 offer from the man played no part in his decision.

The court heard that the woman, then 18, had asked her brother for a lift home from a party. During the journey, he sexually assaulted her twice. She told her mother that night and reported the incident to gardaí the following month. He made immediate admissions after his arrest. His barrister said he hoped the €5,000 lodged in court could help pay for counselling; the woman did not wish to accept it.