Two sisters were sexually assaulted by the same man in identical circumstances, although the attacks took place six years apart, Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Both girls were working as waitresses and were offered lifts home after the man overheard them ringing for taxis.
Garda evidence was that the younger sister, aged 17, accepted the offer of a lift home in January last after her evening's work. The man, who was known to her, had been drinking in the adjacent pub. "He took a back road and pulled into the driveway of a house where he assaulted her, putting his hands down her blouse and between her legs," the garda said. "She resisted strongly and he drove further down the road and turned into a laneway where there was no house or anyone around and assaulted her again.
"This time he ripped her blouse and broke her necklace," the garda added. When the girl continued to resist he drove her home and she told her parents.
It then transpired that her older sister had been assaulted by the same man in the same way nearly six years previously, but had not reported the matter.
The 62-year-old east Cork man, who cannot be named to protect his victims' identities, pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual assault, two in January last and one in August 1992.
Mr Don McCarthy, for the State, said the case was to have been heard in the District Court, but the judge involved had refused jurisdiction. The defendant told the court he was remorseful and had taken steps to deal with his alcohol addiction which had caused him to offend.
Mr Sean O'Donovan, defending, said the defendant had a previously unblemished character and had by admitting admitted his guilt. He had paid compensation acceptable to his victims.
Judge Jim Mathews said it would be "inhumane" to jail the defendant, who was facing up to his problems, although this was not to excuse what he did, which was "indefensible". He imposed a six months' prison term on each charge but suspended it for a year.