Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0081Indecency assault · Co. Clare · 1 Jul 1973

Clare man on trial for indecent assault of two orphan girls in 1970s

A 92-year-old Co Clare man is on trial for the alleged indecent assault of two orphan girls who lived with him and his wife in their home in the early 1970s. The offences are alleged to have occurred between July 1973 and January 1975, when the man was aged 39 to 40 and the girls were between seven and nine. The man denies eight counts of indecent assault. The trial opened at Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and evidence was due to commence the following day before a jury.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court22 Oct
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The man is alleged to have indecently assaulted two girls who lived with him and his wife in their marital home in Co Clare.
  • At the time of the offences the man was aged 39 to 40 and the girls were between seven and nine.
  • The two girls, born in 1964 and 1965 in Co Clare, lost both parents when they were young and came to live with the man after he married their mother in the early 1970s.
  • The alleged abuse ended when one girl was sent to a school and the second girl went to live with grandparents.
Where
The offences are alleged to have occurred in the couple's marital home in Co Clare.
When
The alleged offences occurred between July 1, 1973 and January 31, 1975.
Charges
The man denies six counts of indecent assault against one girl and two counts against the second girl.
In court
  • The trial is taking place at Ennis Circuit Court before a jury.
  • The trial opened on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, and evidence was due to commence the following day.
Other details
The prosecution counsel is Sarah Jane Comerford and the defence counsel is Patrick Whyms.
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAt the time of the offences the accused was aged 39 to 40 and the girls were between seven and nine (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe two girls were born in 1964 and 1965 in Co Clare (irishtimes.com)
  • whatBoth the girls' father and mother died when they were young (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe woman married the accused in the early 1970s (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe second complainant, as a nine-year-old, would wake up and jump into bed beside the accused and his wife (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe abuse ended when one girl was sent to a school and the second girl went to live with grandparents (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe girls moved in to live with the couple in their marital home in Co Clare (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged offences occurred between July 1, 1973 and January 31, 1975 (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe man denies six counts of indecent assault against one girl and two counts against the second girl (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial is taking place at Ennis Circuit Court (irishtimes.com)
  • courtEvidence was due to commence on Thursday before a jury (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe prosecution counsel is Sarah Jane Comerford (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe defence counsel is Patrick Whyms (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Oct2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Clare man (92) on trial accused of indecently assaulting two orphan girls in his care over 50 years ago

    Trial opened at Ennis Circuit Court; prosecution outlined the case to the jury including the girls' backgrounds as orphans and the specific instances alleged; evidence due to commence the following day.

    accused, 92, malevictim, 7-9, femalevictim, 7-9, female