A WICKLOW gardener who sexually assaulted a 14 year old girl has been jailed for three years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Niall Vaughan (33), married and a father of two, of Millfleld, Enniskerry admitted committing the offence on August 12th, 1994. His guilty plea came on the second day of his trial in April before a jury of two women and 10 men.
Judge Kieran O'Connor said it was lucky for him he had pleaded guilty when he did. He had abused the trust placed in him by his victim's family. The court could clearly see the girl was quite young and evidence showed the offence had a serious effect on her.
Judge O'Connor said he was impressed by the evidence of the defendant's wife, by his half brother, Mr Philip Vaughan, and by the plea for leniency by defence counsel, Mr Martin Giblin SC, but he had to impose a three year sentence.
Mr Giblin read out a letter written by his client in which he apologised to his victim and her family and said he was sorry for his conduct. "I know I have caused pain and I wish I could turn back the clock", he said.
The defendant appealed for a lenient sentence. He said he was glad he was "man enough" to have stopped the offence at a certain point and that nothing more had happened. He feared for his family if he was jailed.
Earlier, Mrs Sandra Vaughan said her husband was good to her and their children. She was very annoyed when he told her about his offence and she couldn't understand why he did it. He told her he had no conception of the girl's age. She could not see him committing a similar offence again.
Mr Philip Vaughan said the defendant never came to terms with his mother's death on holidays in Spain in 1983. His pattern of behaviour changed abruptly and he came under the influence of a bad local element. He was gullible and naive, and was easily led.
Det Garda Declan Mallon told prosecuting counsel, Mr Fergal Foley, that Vaughan had six previous convictions. None was for sexual offences. He served 19 months of a three year sentence, imposed by Wicklow Circuit Court in 1989 for receiving, at Portlaoise and Shelton Abbey.
The girl described to the jury how the defendant touched her in her bedroom. The jury was also told Vaughan agreed the incidents happened and made a full statement to gardai outlining them.
Psychiatrist Dr Imelda Ryan said she felt then the victim needed therapy counselling to promote her own self esteem. She had a tendency to blame herself and had regressed emotionally and psychologically.