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. 7108Sexual assault · Co. Dublin · 27 Dec 2016

Man sentenced for sexually assaulting granddaughter while babysitting

A man in his mid-70s was charged with sexually assaulting his 10-year-old granddaughter in a house in Dublin, with the offences dated to 27 December 2016 in court but the babysitting night given as 29 December 2016 in garda evidence. Gardaí were alerted, and he was arrested in November 2017 and interviewed, where he denied the allegations. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, and on 14 November 2023 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him, with sources disagreeing on whether the sentence was 12 months or 18 months with the final six months suspended.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced14 Nov
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man in his mid-70s was sentenced for sexually assaulting his granddaughter, who was 10 at the time.
  • The girl said the man touched her in her private area.
Where
The assaults took place in a house in Dublin, and the sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
When
The court heard the assaults occurred on 27 December 2016, while garda evidence refers to the night of 29 December 2016, when the man was babysitting the girl and her cousin; the articles do not reconcile the two dates.
Investigation
  • Gardaí were alerted and the girl spoke to specialist interviewers.
  • The man was arrested in November 2017 and interviewed.
  • The man denied the sexual assault allegations when interviewed.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.
In court
  • A victim impact statement prepared by the victim's mother was noted by the judge, Sarah Berkeley.
  • The judge said the man's culpability was high and the offences were aggravated by a significant breach of trust and the disparity in age.
  • The judge said the offence fell at the lower end of the spectrum for such offending.
Sentence
  • The judge set a headline sentence of two years.
  • Mitigating factors included the early guilty plea, remorse and the effect of the offences on his social and family life.
  • Sources disagree on the sentence: the article reports 12 months in prison, while the key facts report 18 months with the final six months suspended.
Other details
The man has no previous convictions.
18 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for sexually assaulting his granddaughter seven years earlier. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girl said the man touched her in her private area. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe assaults took place in a house in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe court was told the assaults occurred on 27 December 2016. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe accused was babysitting his granddaughter and her cousin on the night of 29 December 2016. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí were alerted and the girl spoke to specialist interviewers. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe accused was arrested in November 2017 and interviewed. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe accused denied the sexual assault allegations when interviewed. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtA victim impact statement prepared by the victim's mother was noted by the judge. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said the man's culpability was high. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said the offences were aggravated by a significant breach of trust and the disparity in age. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe judge said the offence fell at the lower end of the spectrum for such offending. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of two years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceMitigating factors included the early guilty plea, remorse and the effect the crimes had on his social and family life. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe man was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment and the final six months were suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 14 Nov2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man sentenced to 12 months for sexually assaulting granddaughter while babysitting

    Court report of sentencing. The court heard the counts occurred on 27 December 2016, but the garda evidence refers to the night of 29 December 2016. The article does not reconcile the two dates. Not linked to any existing case.

    convicted, mid-70s, malevictim, 10 at time of offence, female