Court of Appeal upholds pensioner's conviction for sexually abusing grandson
A 70-year-old man, now 81, was convicted of sexually assaulting his 15-year-old grandson in three incidents between June and September 2015 at various locations in Leinster. He pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and was convicted following two trials after the first jury failed to reach a verdict. Judge Martina Baxter at Naas Circuit Court sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment on 9 December 2024. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, dismissed his appeal in July 2026, ruling that the trial judge was correct to exclude a prepared statement he gave to gardaí in October 2017 as self-serving and wholly exculpatory.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted24 Jul
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 70-year-old man, now 81, sexually assaulted his 15-year-old grandson in three incidents, including driving him in a golf cart, pulling down his trousers to photograph his penis with a mobile phone, and performing oral sex.
- Where
- The offences took place at various locations in Leinster.
- When
- The offences occurred between June and September 2015.
- Charges
- The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting his grandson.
- In court
- He was convicted following two trials after the first jury failed to reach a verdict.
- The Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, ruling the trial judge was correct to exclude a prepared statement he gave to gardaí in October 2017 as self-serving and wholly exculpatory.
- Sentence
- Judge Martina Baxter at Naas Circuit Court sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment on 9 December 2024.
- Other details
- The man cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim.
- The prepared statement was made with the assistance of his daughter because he is illiterate, and he was suffering from cancer at the time.
16 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe defendant is now 81 years old and was 70 when the offending occurred. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe grandson was 15 years old at the time of the offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man drove the teenager in a golf cart and tried to masturbate him through his trousers. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man pulled down the elasticated top of the teenager's trousers and photographed his penis with a mobile phone. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man performed oral sex on the teenager in the third incident. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe offences took place at various locations in Leinster. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe offences occurred between June and September 2015. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe man pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting his grandson. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was convicted following two trials after the first jury failed to reach a verdict. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe appeal argued that a prepared statement given to gardaí in October 2017 should have been admitted to the jury. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal against conviction. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge Martina Baxter at Naas Circuit Court sentenced him to five and a half years' imprisonment on 9 December 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe prepared statement was made with the assistance of the defendant's daughter because he is illiterate. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man was suffering from cancer at the time of the statement. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe man cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherShane Costelloe SC represented the Director of Public Prosecutions at the appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Jul2026Court upholds pensioner’s conviction for sexually abusing grandson
The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice Alexander Owens, dismissed the defendant's appeal against conviction, ruling that the trial judge was correct to exclude a prepared statement he gave to gardaí in October 2017 as it was 'self-serving' and 'wholly exculpatory'.
victim, 15, maleconvicted, 81, male