Galway man's appeal against indecent assault conviction dismissed
A Galway man convicted of five counts of indecent assault against three of his wife's siblings when they were children had his appeal dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 17 December 2024, with Ms Justice Tara Burns ruling the unanimous jury verdict was not perverse and the trial judge did not err in refusing to sever the indictment.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Convicted18 Dec
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports19 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAll the offences were assaults committed against children in a familial context. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeTwo counts related to a single charge of indecent assault of each of his two sisters-in-law. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThree counts related to indecently assaulting his brother-in-law on three occasions. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeIn 2022 the officer was accused of nine offences including stealing military equipment and ammunition. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe original charges were withdrawn and replaced with 12 charges, which were in turn withdrawn and replaced with another 12 counts. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe officer pleaded guilty to a single summary charge of omitting to record two historic items of military that had been in the military stores for 30 years. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe man was unanimously convicted of five counts of indecent assault at Galway Circuit Court on 30 November 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe man pleaded not guilty. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMs Justice Tara Burns dismissed the appeal, ruling the man failed to meet the high threshold for a claim of a perverse verdict. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe trial judge's refusal to sever the indictment was upheld on appeal. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe court martial began in July 2024 before military judge Col Michael Campion. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceCol Campion imposed a reprimand and fined the officer three days' pay. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe man is married to the sister of the three victims. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMr Justice Alan Mahon is the Defence Forces Ombudsman and a retired judge of the Appeal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe officer enlisted as a private soldier in the late 1980s and was commissioned as an officer over 20 years ago. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe officer denied all charges at the start of the court martial. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe ombudsman noted the reprimand and fine was the lowest possible punishment on the scale. (irishtimes.com)
- otherDefence Forces Chief of Staff Lieut Gen Seán Clancy declined to recommend the officer's promotion to the Minister for Defence due to the outstanding charges. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe officer cannot be identified due to strict reporting restrictions imposed by the judge in his court martial. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 18 Dec2024‘Remarkable’ officer who was subject to court martial should be rehabilitated and promoted, says ombudsman
Reports the Defence Forces Ombudsman's investigation report recommending the officer's full rehabilitation and backdated promotion to 2022 after his court martial charges were effectively dropped, noting the two-year process caused him enormous stress and ill health.
convicted, male - 18 Dec2024Irishman who sexually abused wife’s siblings fails to overturn conviction
Court of Appeal dismissed the man's appeal against his conviction, upholding the unanimous jury verdict and the trial judge's refusal to sever the indictment.
convicted, male, Irish, irishvictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, male