Man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting his disabled cousin
A then 16-year-old boy, who was caught sexually assaulting his disabled cousin just over eight years ago, has been remanded on bail pending sentence.
The abuse came to light after their grandmother walked in and found the boy in the girl’s bedroom.
The now 24-year-old man appeared at the Dublin Children’s Court today after delaying his case by almost seven years which Judge Brendan Toale said could have a “re-traumatising effect” on his victim.
Sentencing was adjourned for a probation report on the accused to be prepared and to see if the complainant wished to give a victim impact statement.
He had pleaded guilty seven years ago to the sexual assault which occurred in 2010 at the girl’s home in south Co. Dublin.
However, in 2012 he skipped court when he was due to be sentenced and he was then homeless for a number of years.
Gardaí located him last month after he secured accommodation.
Judge Toale asked for the facts of the case to be reheard.
Garda Sergeant Eimear Monaghan told the court the grandmother had walked into the girl’s bedroom and found the teen there.
He had his trousers and pants around his ankles and was sitting beside his cousin on her bed.
The girl has a serious disability, as well as speech difficulties and her mental age was below her actual age, the sergeant said.
A specialist interview of the girl was held.
Garda Sergeant Monaghan said the child stated the accused “put the thing that helps you go to the toilet in her bum and touched her bum with his hands and put his hand in her vagina”.
When arrested a couple of weeks later, the youth, then aged 16, made admissions and detailed how he touched the child around her breast and privates, inside and outside her clothes.
He also went into some detail about the girl’s speech problems and medical difficulties, the court heard.
He cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim. The judge said there were reporting restrictions.
The court heard the accused and another sibling had been taken into care at a young age.
Garda Sergeant Monaghan agreed with defence solicitor Paddy McGarry that there was an allegation the accused had been the victim of abuse when he was in foster care.
She agreed the man had not continued to come to Garda attention in the years he was homeless.
His father had died when he was young and his mother had drug and health problems, the court was told.
He went into care when he was about seven and over the next nine years he had been in 10 different care placements, the solicitor said.
The court heard he ended up on the streets and found it difficult to cope.
Judge Toale heard the accused had taken part in an educational course which he wished to continue.
He was willing to engage with the Probation Service and a sex offending treatment programme.
Garda Sergeant Monaghan said the girl attended counselling for victims of sexual abuse.
Judge Toale asked the sergeant to establish if the complainant wanted to provide an impact statement for the court and said the case had gone on so long it could possibly have a re-traumatising effect.
Sentencing was adjourned until a date in April. The accused was remanded on continuing bail.
