A DUBLIN man was given six years in suspended sentences in the Central Criminal Court for sexually assaulting three girls in a suburban house on one night.
Mr Justice Kinlen told the defendant that "one night of madness" had left him branded as a sex criminal. He said it was an extraordinary case in which all parties had been involved in underage drinking.
The man (20) pleaded guilty to having unlawful carnal knowledge of one girl and sexually assaulting two others in a house in a south-west Dublin suburb on August 16th, 1997. He cannot be named to protect the identity of his victims and has been held in custody in St Patrick's Institution since December 20th. He had no previous convictions. Mr Justice Kinlen noted five years was the maximum sentence for each offence and imposed three consecutive sentences of two years which he suspended on strict conditions which include a residential curfew.
Det Sgt Colm Featherstone told Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting that the victims had been at separate parties the night before the assaults and had consumed a lot of drink. They all returned, as prearranged, to the family home of one of the victims whose parents were away.
The detective said the then 18-year-old defendant was admitted to the house in the early hours of the morning. The 15-year-old girl went to bed on her own in the boxroom while the 17-year-olds used the parents' bedroom.
Det Sgt Featherstone said the 15-year-old girl woke to find the defendant having sexual intercourse with her.
The other victims later were wakened separately by the naked defendant assaulting them. Det Sgt Featherstone said the matter was reported to the gardai three days later, on the same day the defendant went voluntarily to Rathfarnham Garda Station with his mother. He admitted having sex with the girl but denied raping her.