A former sports coach has been remanded on bail after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting 10 teenage boys in Waterford in the 1980s.
Bill Kenneally (65), an accountant from Summerville Avenue, Waterford, pleaded guilty to 10 sample counts of indecent assault when arraigned at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.
Five of the charges related to indecent assaults committed by Kenneally at his home, two relate to indecent assaults at two other locations in Waterford and three were at places unknown.
The State alleged in the indictments that the indecent assaults were committed on the boys between October 31st, 1984 and December 31st, 1987.
Kenneally spoke only to enter his plea on each of the 10 counts during the 30 minute hearing, which was attended by a number of his victims.
Noel Whelan SC, prosecuting, told Judge Eugene O'Kelly that Kenneally's guilty pleas to all sample charges were acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
No details of the indecent assaults were given but Mr Whelan said the full facts relating to over 65 charges would be given at sentencing which he expected would take two days to hear.
Mr Whelan said gardaí had no objection to Kenneally being remanded on continuing bail for sentencing in February.
Defence counsel, Elaine Morgan SC, had earlier informed the court that the penalty for indecent assault had varied according to the gender of the victim and had changed over time.
The most recent ruling from the superior courts in the case of the DPP vs James Maher had fixed the penalty for indecent assault at two years and it was on that basis the case was proceeding, she said
Judge O’Kelly directed the submission of victim impact statements from each of the 10 complainants and he directed they be furnished to Kenneally’s legal team in advance of sentencing.
Mr Whelan said that following consultations, February 17th and 18th next would be suitable to both sides.
Judge O’Kelly agreed and he remanded Kenneally on bail to appear again to the start of the next sessions at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court on January 12th to confirm the target dates in February.
Judge O’Kelly also ordered that no details would be published that would identify any of the complainants in the case.
