Father guilty of assault, neglect of children

A FATHER of five who was found guilty of neglect and assault is to be sentenced at the end of July.

The 42-year-old defendant, who was not present at the High Court in Dublin yesterday, was found guilty by a jury in April of the wilful neglect of his two daughters and one of his sons, and the wilful assault of his eldest two sons.

His five children, three boys and two girls, were aged between four and 11 when they were taken into care in 2007.

The foster mother of his daughters said when they arrived at her house, aged eight and four, they were filthy, wearing soiled underwear, and the youngest girl was “walking alive” with lice.

There were seven guilty findings against the man, including for neglect and assault. But the jury failed to agree on three remaining counts of neglect and sexual abuse.

At a brief hearing yesterday, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne told Isobel Kennedy, for the prosecution, and defence counsel Blaise O’Carroll, that she would set aside time in the last week of term for the sentence hearing.

She said the defendant was to be remanded in custody until sentencing.

No decision was made on whether the three counts of neglect and sexual abuse would be pursued.