Three years for sexual assault of 13-year-old babysitter

A 57-year-old man who sexually assaulted his wife’s then 13-year-old sister in the grounds of a convent after she babysat for him and his wife has been jailed for three years

The man – who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim – was convicted of four counts of sexually assaulting the girl at a convent in Cork between September and December 1982.

The man had denied a total of five charges of sexually assaulting the girl when he was in his late 20s, but a jury found him guilty of four of the charges following a three-day trial earlier this month.

Yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Seán Ó Donnabhain sentenced the man to two consecutive terms of two years each but he suspended the final 12 months of the sentence.

The court heard that the girl used to babysit for the accused and her sister and he used walk her to catch a bus home afterwards, but brought her into the grounds of a nearby convent.

Confrontation

He used to sexually assault her against the boundary wall of the convent and then afterwards he would escort her to the bus stop where she would catch a bus home, the court heard.

When as an adult she confronted her abuser in the company of his wife, he claimed the victim had consented to the sexual activity and they were having an affair even though she was just 13.

The man was later arrested by gardaí for questioning but made no admissions and denied the allegations that he had sexually assaulted the girl, an investigating garda told the court.

The victim told in an impact statement how that she never visited her family at Christmas, Easter or other special occasions as she feared meeting her abuser at these events.

She said that she was not surprised that somebody who could abuse a 13-year-old girl did not have the decency to admit to his wrongdoing, but instead put her through the trauma of a trial.