A GARDENER who sexually assaulted a 14 year old girl has been remanded in custody for sentence on May 21st next by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Niall Vaughan (33), married and the father of two of Millfield, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to committing the offence on August 12th 1994 His plea came on the second day of his trial before a jury of two women and 10 men.
Det Garda Declan Mallon told Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that the defendant had five previous convictions. None was for a sexual offence. He had been jailed for three years by Wicklow Circuit Court in 1989 for receiving stolen goods.
Judge Kieran O'Connor directed the preparation of a victim impact report. The court had heard Dr Imelda Ryan, a psychiatrist, say that the assault had a negative impact on the girl at the time. Dr Ryan said she felt the victim needed therapy counselling to promote her own self esteem. She had a tendency to blame herself and had regressed emotionally and psychologically.
The victim gave evidence of how the defendant touched her body in her bedroom. The jury had been told at the start of the trial that the defendant agreed that the alleged touching incidents had happened. He made a full statement to gardai outlining them.
Cross examined by Mr Martin Giblin SC (with Mr Luan O Braonain), defending, the girl denied that what happened was "a continuation of sexual banter that had been going on for some days", as suggested by counsel. She agreed that she and her friends had several days of "craic" and music at her home and chatted with Vaughan, who was working outside the house.