Man pleads guilty to sexual assault of girl in Co Galway shop

Trial was expected to last three days before accused changed his plea to guilty

A bread delivery man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a schoolgirl in a rural Co Galway shop.

John Ring (48), of Bunbeag, Castlebar, Co Mayo, had initially pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the girl (17) on July 22nd, 2014. Ring denied a second charge of harassing the girl on the same date.

The trial was expected to last three days but following an outline of facts to the jury by Conor Fahy BL, prosecuting, Ring changed his plea to guilty of sexual assault. The court heard this was acceptable to the DPP on the basis that facts in the harassment charge were admitted.

Defence barrister Eoin Garavan asked for a probation report on his client prior to sentence.

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He said Ring had no previous convictions – apart from for minor road traffic offences – was in a stable relationship and was employed.

Mr Fahy had earlier told the jury Ring asked the girl, who had just turned 17 and was alone in the shop, if she had a boyfriend and if she had a sore back.

He told her he was a physiotherapist and lured her to the back of the empty shop where he grabbed her with both hands around the neck.

The girl later told gardaí the accused kept a tight grip on her neck and was rough with her before putting his knee between her legs and telling her to spread them. She said he lifted up her shirt and could feel his groin against her.

A customer then entered the shop and Ring quickly left. He came back into the shop a short time later and stared at the girl but left as other customers came in.

He later followed the girl in his van as she walked home during her lunch break along a nearby narrow road. He blocked her way, let down the window and beckoned her to come over to him but she refused.

He then scribbled his mobile number on a piece of paper and handed it out the window to the girl, telling her to give him a call. Judge Karen O’Connor remanded Ring on continuing bail for sentence in March.