profound harm | 

Dublin pensioner (67) jailed for anally raping nine-year-old girl

The man is a distant relative of the victim’s grandmother, and was referred to as an uncle by the victim

Today at 17:24

A Dublin man who anally raped a young girl two years ago has been jailed.

The 67-year-old man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to one count of anal rape on a date in June 2021 when the victim was nine-years-old.

An investigating garda told Seamus Clarke SC, prosecuting, that the man is a distant relative of the victim’s grandmother, and was referred to as an uncle by the victim.

The man was offered housing by the girl’s grandmother when he was at risk of homelessness in the mid-2010s. He lived in the same house as the victim and her mother until they moved out in 2020, however, they would return to visit.

The girl’s mother called gardai on July 16, 2021 after her daughter disclosed what had happened.

The victim was interviewed by specialist gardai and told them that she and the defendant were watching a film in his bedroom. She said the man pulled down her pants and anally raped her.

The local garda confirmed the man was asked to leave the house once the abuse came to light and has had no contact with the victim and her family since then.

The defendant met gardai by arrangement in September 2021, and was arrested. When interviewed, he said the girl was lying but admitted he had been living at the address.

He has two previous convictions, which are not of a sexual nature. He is due before the courts later this year on a separate charge.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt today said the accused had abused not only the child but also the family’s hospitality. He said serious and profound harm had been caused to the injured party by a person the family had trusted and invited into their home.

He said the aggravating factors included the age disparity and the significant breach of trust.

Mr Justice Hunt said the main mitigation was the plea of guilty which was an acceptance of his wrongdoing, telling the victim she was in no way at fault. He noted from reports the man had a difficult life and his recent medical position had not been good.

The judge set a headline sentence of 11 years, which he discounted by 25 per cent taking into account mitigation. He imposed a sentence of eight years and three months, with the final year suspended on strict conditions including not contacting the injured party and her mother in perpetuity.

The local gardai agreed with defence counsel that the man grew up in Dublin, but later moved to the United Kingdom. She accepted the man had left the jurisdiction when the allegations came to light, but was in contact with gardai during this period and voluntarily returned.

Defence counsel said a psychological report states that the man has low educational attainment. He has been in custody since March 2022 and has a number of health issues.

A victim impact statement was read to the court by the girl’s mother.

She said her daughter has “completely changed” and is now withdrawn and isolated. She said the girl feels different to her friends and did not want to go to school.

Her daughter suffered angry outbursts and nightmares.

The woman said her daughter is receiving counselling after a two-year wait, but it is “one year too late” and there was “no support” for the girl.

She said the man took her daughter’s “innocence and childhood”.

“He was family and trusted. He was part of the family. Now, I can’t trust anything he said or did for my daughter or me.”

She said she finds it hard to trust anyone and has only allowed her daughter to go on one sleepover since this incident occurred. She said she doesn’t know how the abuse will affect her daughter in the future.

When asked by Mr Justice Hunt, the woman said her daughter is only coming to realise what has happened. She said her daughter finds it hard to talk to her friends and “can’t talk to anyone”. She said her family member had given the man a home when he had nowhere else to go

Mr Justice Hunt told the woman that the defendant’s actions were “an abuse of trust and hospitality” ant that it is “most important” that her daughter understands what happened is not her fault.

Defence counsel told the court his client has only recently faced up to his actions and “offers himself for punishment”.

A psychological report was handed to the court. Defence counsel said the report states his client has low cognitive functioning. An assessment puts his client at an above average risk of re-offending, but he is willing to engage in treatment programmes.

He said his client spent time in a borstal when younger when he experienced sexual assault and violence. His client has no contact with his children and is an “isolated” figure.