Tipperary courts: man, 71, jailed for indecent assaults on two girls

A North Tipperary man who subjected two sisters to indecent assaults over a number of years was jailed for seven years by Nenagh Circuit Court, with the final five years suspended.

Judge Tom Teehan suspended the final five years on the grounds of the man's age. The man, who is 71 years old, cannot be named for legal reasons.

The court heard that the assaults on one of the girls began when she was just six years old and lasted for four years, while the assaults on her sister, which lasted for two years, began when she was 10.

The defendant was 31 years old when the first assault took place.

The court heard that the man would bring the yougest sister to a shed and put timber across the door before assaulting her.

Aftewards he would buy her sweets and tell her she was his “little flower”.

The multiple assaults lasted between 1979 and 1984, and, in the case of the second victim, from 1979 to 1981.

The prosecuting Garda agreed with defence counsel Colman Cody that the man's admissions had got beyond the charges and he was contrite and made apologies.

He had worked for 50 years despite not completing his education. The Garda also agreed the man had led a solitary existence and that he had suffered in school.

Mr Cody told the court his client had compensation for both victims, but that only one was willing to accept it.

Judge Teehan described the case as “extremely sad”.

He said both girls' lives had been affected by the enormous degree of wrongs perpetuated by the defendant.

“He knew very well what he was doing was very wrong,” said the judge. “Their childhood was taken from them and the consequences continue to this day.”

He said the man had been a trusted neighbour and the girls' parents had no difficulty with them being in his company alone.

While he could have sympathy for what the defendant had suffered in his youth it was not an excuse for what he had done, said the judge.

He jailed the man for a total of seven years, but suspended the last five years on condition the man enter a bond to keep the peace for two years after his release and that he not be alone with any person under the age of 17 years for five years after his release.

The judge ordered that compensation of €10,000 be paid to one of the victims.