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Dublin man (59) who gave child cocaine and orally raped her to be sentenced later

Thomas Neville has 35 previous convictions, 34 of which are for road traffic matters and one for sexual assault.

Today at 12:13

A Dublin man will be sentenced later this year for the rape, sexual assault, and child exploitation of a child over a ten-year period.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Thomas Neville (59) of Railway Avenue, Inchicore, Dublin 8, was found unanimously guilty by a jury on July 11.

Neville was convicted of one count of rape, one count of child exploitation and 20 counts of sexual assault at various locations in Dublin between 2010 and 2020.

He has 35 previous convictions, 34 of which are for road traffic matters and one for sexual assault.

Neville does not accept the verdict of the jury. The injured party in this case has asked for Neville to be named.

Detective Garda Leonard Wheeler told Philip Rahn, SC, prosecuting, that the abuse came to light in August 2020 when the injured party told her friend about it.

This friend then told her own mother, and it was reported to the gardaí. The injured party was fourteen at this time.

She was interviewed by specialist gardaí and this interview was recorded and played in evidence during the trial.

The court heard the abuse consisted of Neville placing his finger in her anus and touching her breasts both over and underneath her clothes.

He told her while touching her chest that “this will help them grow.”

He was also found guilty of “humping” her while pressing his penis against her.

The court heard that on one occasion, Neville blindfolded the child and said he was going to dip a carrot in yoghurt or jam and she had to guess which it was.

The child said it “didn’t feel like a carrot it felt soft like skin”.

When the girl was aged between nine and ten, Neville removed all her clothes and his own.

He made her put his penis into her mouth and told her to “suck it.” He then placed his tongue into her vagina. The charge of sexual exploitation involved Neville showing her a pornography video.

The court heard Neville gave the child cocaine and took cocaine himself in her presence.

Neville was arrested, detained and interviewed in November 2020.

He was cooperative with gardaí and answered all questions, however he denied all allegations put to him.

A victim impact statement was handed into the court and read aloud by the victim.

She said, “I had to grow up quickly and I still struggle with nightmares.” The girl said she has struggled with “mental health issues” since being assaulted.

She said she was terrified at being “vulnerable” but was now “learning how to create healthy relationships”.

She thanked her family, the Director of Public Prosecutions and gardaí for their support and for “getting her the justice I deserve.”

Mr Rahn told the court that the Director of the Public Prosecution’s believes this offence lies in the more serious range and outlined a sentence of between 10-15 years.

Det Gda Wheeler agreed with Conor Devally SC, defending, that Neville had lost his brother to homicide in the past.

Mr Devally said Neville has worked in various employment throughout his life in private security, the fast-food industry, the taxi business and as a labourer.

Counsel said his client’s sister not only sees him as an “older brother, but as a father figure” and she has “entrusted him to mind her child in the past and would trust him again”.

Letters were handed to the court from Neville’s family members, but not read aloud.

Judge Caroline Biggs said she was “not going to finalise this case today as I want to consider this matter”. She adjourned the case for finalisation until October 23.