Courts / Dublin / Report
Judge criticises DPP for delay in child sex assault case
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring sentenced a 39‑year‑old man to three and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting his 12‑year‑old daughter and her 13‑year‑old school friend between January and December 2011. The defendant voluntarily approached Gardaí in January 2012, admitting the assaults, and pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault out of a total of 26. Judge Ring criticised the Director of Public Prosecutions for a 15‑month delay in prosecuting the case, arguing that the system must prioritise young victims. She urged the prosecuting barrister to raise the issue with the DPP. Two teenage victims, now 16, read victim impact statements describing severe emotional and educational harm, including suicidal thoughts, depression, self‑harm, and bullying. The defendant, who had no prior convictions, was noted to have been sexually abused as a child and to have suffered depression and unemployment.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Judge criticises DPP for delay in child sex assault case. Charges or matters: five sample counts of sex assault of a total of 26 counts, carried out between January and December 2011. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 2012 Incident
- December 2011 Incident
- October 2011 Other
- 2014-11-07 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: five sample counts of sex assault of a total of 26 counts, carried out between January and December 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Mary Ellen Ring was speaking at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court as she sentenced a 39-year-old man to three and a half years in prison.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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