Uncle’s partner acquitted by direction in Munster abuse trial

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

The partner of a man accused in a Munster child abuse trial was found not guilty by direction of the trial judge. The proceedings were reported on 6 August 2021.

Five family members were found guilty of all but one of the 78 counts against them on 6 August, following a 10-week Central Criminal Court trial. Mr Justice Paul McDermott remanded them in custody ahead of sentencing at a later date.

The five were the children’s mother, father, aunt, her husband and uncle. All had denied the charges against them. The uncle’s partner was in court for the verdicts and began crying as the guilty verdicts were delivered.

The father was found guilty of 31 counts, including rape, sexual assault, permitting sexual activity with a child, sexual exploitation, wilful neglect and mistreatment by giving medication. The mother was found guilty of 25 counts, including wilful neglect, sexual assault, permitting sexual activity with a child and sexual exploitation. Three additional counts against the father were withdrawn by direction during the trial.

The aunt was found guilty of three sexual assault counts. Her husband was found guilty of 10 counts of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and rape; two additional counts were withdrawn. The other uncle was found guilty of six rape counts and two sexual exploitation counts, and acquitted of one sexual exploitation count. One further count against him was withdrawn by direction.

The offences were alleged to have taken place in Munster on unknown dates between 18 August 2014 and 28 April 2016. The case was due to return to court on 4 October, when a sentence date would be set. The family members cannot be named for legal reasons, and reporting restrictions protect the children.