Ireland Case No. 20290Rape and indecent assault of a child · Co. Dublin
Dublin man jailed for raping child he babysat in 1985
Between February and November 1985, a 14-year-old babysitter sexually abused and raped a seven-year-old girl at her Dublin home, starting with touching while she lay in bed. The woman, now aged 45, went to gardaí in 2018, and when questioned the man, now 52, denied any wrongdoing. On 19 July 2023 a Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape, and Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed concurrent sentences backdated to 3 July, with the final two years of a four-year rape sentence suspended. The man does not accept the jury's verdicts.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced19 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 52-year-old Dublin man repeatedly sexually abused and raped a girl he was babysitting.
- The girl was seven years old and the man was her 14-year-old babysitter at the time.
- The abuse started with touching as the girl lay in bed and later progressed to rape.
- Where
- The offences took place at the girl's home in Dublin.
- When
- The offences took place between February and November 1985.
- Cause
- The court heard the abuse ended when the girl's mother gave birth to a baby who needed additional care and the teenager stopped babysitting.
- Investigation
- The complainant, now aged 45, went to gardaí about the abuse in 2018.
- When questioned by gardaí, the man denied any wrongdoing.
- In court
- A Central Criminal Court jury found the man guilty of three counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape.
- Sentence
- Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed two years on each indecent assault charge and suspended the final two years of a four-year sentence for the rape counts.
- All sentences run concurrently and are backdated to 3 July, when the man went into custody.
- Other details
- The judge said it was an aggravating feature that the man breached the complainant's trust and that of her family.
- The man does not accept the verdicts of the jury.
13 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man repeatedly sexually abused and raped a girl he was babysitting, and was jailed for two years. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe girl was seven years old and the man was her 14-year-old babysitter. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe abuse started with touching as the girl lay in bed and progressed to rape. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe offences took place at the girl's Dublin home. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe offences took place between February and November 1985. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe complainant, now aged 45, went to gardaí about the abuse in 2018. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationWhen questioned by gardaí, the man denied any wrongdoing. (thejournal.ie)
- courtA Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty of three counts of indecent assault and three counts of rape. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe judge imposed two years on each indecent assault charge. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe judge suspended the final two years of a four-year sentence for the rape counts. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceAll sentences run concurrently and are backdated to 3 July, when the man went into custody. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe man does not accept the verdicts of the jury. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe judge said it was an aggravating feature that the man breached the complainant's trust and that of her family. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 19 Jul2023Dublin man jailed for rape of child he was babysitting 40 years ago
Reports the verdict, the sentence imposed by Justice Mary Ellen Ring, the backdating to 3 July, and the court's remarks on the case.
convicted, 52, malevictim, 45, female