Man jailed for three years for sexually assaulting granddaughter

A pensioner who pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sexually assaulting his granddaughter over a two year period has been jailed for three years.

The victim, who was 11 when the abuse started and is now in her mid-teens, requested that her grandfather be publicly named.

However, at sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court in Cork, Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin ruled that the identity of the man not be made public to protect his other grandchildren from being caught up in the "maelstrom".

The 67-year-old man pleaded guilty to 12 sample counts from a 60 count indictment when he was arraigned earlier this year. He admitted sexually assaulting the girl from the time she was aged 11 at a number of locations in Co Cork on various dates between April 2014 and May 2016.

Det Garda Denise Fitzgerald told the court the man made full admissions when he was arrested in relation to the incident. The abuse consisted of the man putting his hands in the girl’s underwear in the area close to her vagina. The case did not involve digital penetration.

The court heard the girl views the abuse as being a massive betrayal of trust.

The court heard that the conduct of the man had caused divisions within his family. There is a large degree of family revulsion in relation to the actions of the pensioner.

Defence counsel, Alice Fawsitt SC said that her client was deeply remorseful for his actions. He entered an early guilty plea in the case and “put his hands” up for his actions.

In sentencing Judge Ó Donnabháin said he was fully cognisant of the request of the young girl that the man be named. However, he expressed concern that such a move would “visit difficulties” on the other grand children.

The judge said that there were very few people one can rely on in life and being able to trust a grandparent should be a given.