Saturday 31 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. 20635Sexual offences (indecent assault, sexual assault, oral rape) · Co. Wicklow

Man sentenced over sexual abuse of younger sister in Co Wicklow

A 43-year-old man was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for sexually abusing his younger sister, a 36-year-old woman, in the family home in a town in County Wicklow. He began the abuse when he was 10 and she was three, and it continued for about five years after she reported it to her parents at age four. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault, four counts of sexual assault and one charge of oral rape, with offences dated between 1989 and 1996. At a sentence hearing reported in June 2023, Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed a sentence, though sources differ: an opening line says 18 months, while a later paragraph says two and a half years with the final 12 months suspended.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced19 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The man began sexually abusing his three-year-old sister when he was 10 years old.
Where
The offences took place in the family home in a town in County Wicklow.
When
  • The indecent assault charge covered dates between November 3, 1989 and November 3, 1992.
  • The four sexual assault counts and the oral rape charge covered dates between January 1991 and November 1996.
Other details
  • The victim reported the abuse to her parents when she was four, and the abuse continued for a further five years.
  • The victim's family GP recorded in July 1991 that she had been sexually abused by her older brother and had some genital injuries.
  • The man has no previous convictions.
  • The victim read a victim impact statement in which she said she forgives her brother.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to indecent assault, four counts of sexual assault and one charge of oral rape.
In court
The man was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
Sentence
Sources differ: an opening line says the man was jailed for 18 months, while a later paragraph says he received two and a half years in prison with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
Investigation
The man accepted the abuse and assisted gardaí, and two reports concluded he is unlikely to re-offend.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man began sexually abusing his three-year-old sister when he was 10. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe offences took place in the family home in a town in County Wicklow. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe indecent assault charge covered dates between November 3, 1989 and November 3, 1992. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe four sexual assault counts and the oral rape charge covered dates between January 1991 and November 1996. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to a charge of indecent assault. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe man also pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one charge of oral rape. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe man was sentenced by Mr Justice Paul McDermott. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceAn opening line reports that the man was jailed for 18 months. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim reported the abuse to her parents when she was four. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe abuse continued for a further five years after the reports were made. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man accepted the abuse and assisted gardaí, and two reports concluded he is unlikely to re-offend. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim read a victim impact statement in which she said she forgives her brother. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 Jun2023
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Woman forgives older brother over sexual abuse when they were children

    First report of this sentencing. The article gives two different sentences: an opening line says 18 months, while the later paragraph says two and a half years with the final 12 months suspended. The later detail is recorded here as the sentence stated by the judge.

    convicted, 43, malevictim, 36, female