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Child abuse victims tell court of devastating effects on lives
Summary
Three victims of sexual abuse by Iosach O Riain, aged 62, testified that the assaults, which occurred in their beds while they slept, had devastating effects on their lives. O Riain pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault, including an attack on a seven‑year‑old girl in 1978‑79, an assault on a six‑year‑old boy in 1978, and a molestation of a 15‑year‑old boy in 1995 after a family funeral. The victims described feelings of suffocation, fear, and shame, and reported long‑term impacts such as difficulty with intimacy, substance use, and self‑destructive behaviour. The judge set a headline sentence of 18 months for each offence but imposed a 12‑month custodial sentence, suspending the final three months on strict conditions, and registered O Riain as a sex offender. The victims did not wish to receive his letters of remorse.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Child abuse victims tell court of devastating effects on lives. Charges or matters: three counts of sexual assault. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 2020 Incident
- November 2021 Incident
- 1978 and 1979 Incident
- 2022-04-06 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: three counts of sexual assault (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Iosach O Riain (62) of Mount Eagle Rise, Leopardstown Heights, Dublin 18, was jailed for nine months today after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing each of the victims. She set a headline sentence of 18 months for each offence and noted that a custodial sentence must be imposed such was the seriousness of the case.
Places mentioned
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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