Kerry man jailed over sexual assault on vulnerable woman

A Kerry man on a “drunken spree” who barged into the home of a vulnerable woman in the early hours of the morning and sexually assaulted her has been jailed for five years.

Shane Fitzgerald (26) wrote a letter to the court in which he said: “I am the first to agree I deserve a custodial sentence.” He said he could not believe what he had done but was ready to address his issues such as drink, drugs and anger management so nothing like this would happen again.

Fitzgerald, of Tullorum, Spa, Killarney, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to burglary and sexual assault at the woman’s home in a Co Kerry town in September 2015.

He has 56 previous convictions for offences including assault, criminal damage, public order and road traffic offences.

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Squalid crime

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said it was “an exceptionally squalid crime” and the victim was “a lady of great vulnerability.” He said Fitzgerald appeared to have been on a “drunken spree” on the night.

He said Fitzgerald had an utterly dysfunctional background and had been subject of violence himself. He took into account his guilty plea, his desire to rehabilitate himself and said he was satisfied his expressions of regret were sincere.

He noted the adverse effects of the crime on the victim and that it was a relief to her that she did not have to come to court.

Mr Justice McCarthy imposed a sentence of five years’ imprisonment and ordered Fitzgerald undergo three years’ post-release supervision with the Probation Service.