Man loses appeal against sentence for sexually abusing niece, five
A 25-year-old man who blindfolded his five-year-old niece before sexually abusing her, has lost an appeal against his six-year sentence.
The man, who was 16 at the time of the offences, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to three counts of sexual assault at his Kildare home during 2003.
In March last year, the 25-year-old man was given a six-year sentence, with three years suspended, for sexually assaulting his five-year-old niece ten years ago.
After the offences the victim went on to exhibit unusual and sometimes worrying behaviour, including self harm.
At the age of 11 she decided to make an official complaint over reported concerns that, while she was suffering, her abuser proceeded with an apparently successful life without being required to answer for his crime.
He appealed against the sentence as being unduly severe given he was 16 years old at the time of the abuse and that there was a delay in bringing a prosecution against him.
However, the court has upheld the sentence finding that despite his youth he must bear responsibility for criminal acts which he knew were gravely wrong.
