A Limerick man has been jailed for three years at the Central Criminal Court for attempting to orally rape, sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning a teenage girl in his bedroom.
Mr Justice McKechnie said that although the defendant had pleaded guilty, it came at a late stage after the victim had given her evidence, and he did not feel he could give him any concession for this.
He said the complainant could leave the court completely exonerated and with her reputation and character intact.
Mr Justice McKechnie noted that she was a month short of her 18th birthday when the offence occurred.
While she had been getting on with her life since he had pleaded guilty, she had found it difficult to visit her relatives who lived close to him.
He added that the Director of Public Prosecutions had accepted that the false imprisonment charge was merely technical as the girl had just been detained by the defendant, and the circumstances did not add to the assault.
The 24-year-old man had pleaded guilty to falsely imprisoning, sexually assaulting and attempting to orally rape the 17-year-old girl in his home on March 27th, 2001.
Sgt Trevor McHugh told Mr Edward Counihan SC (with Ms Orla Crowe), prosecuting, that the girl had gone to the defendant's bedroom as he had told her he had a top she might like, but when she turned to leave the room he grabbed her from behind and forced her on to his bed.
He sat on her, pulled up her top and bra and pinned down her arms with his elbows. He began feeling her chest and also put one hand inside her trousers and underwear. She told him to stop several times but he replied he "would not take no for an answer".
She rang her mother from a nearby pay-phone and asked her to pick her up.
When she arrived, the girl told her what had happened, and her mother approached the defendant, whom they could see outside his house from their car.
He told her he was sorry but the victim said: "That's not good enough".
She made a complaint to gardaí shortly afterwards.
Mr Justice McKechnie certified the defendant as a sex offender and ordered three years of supervision after his release.