A SLIGO man has been jailed for three years for having sex with a 14 year old schoolgirl after a teenage disco in Strandhill in 1994. The 25 year old father of three told gardai he believed the girl was 17 at the time. He admitted having unlawful carnal knowledge of the now 16 year old on September 16th, 1994.
Judge Kieran O'Connor at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court suspended the final two years of the sentence on condition that the man attend Alcoholics Anonymous, stay away from his victim and obey the probation service.
The court was told the girl made no complaints when gardai spoke to her after the incident. She said she was all right when asked. The gardai earlier had seen her walk in an easy manner" with the man.
She claimed three weeks later to gardai that the man threatened he would kill her "stone dead" unless she submitted to sex with him.
Judge O'Connor made an order that the married but separated man could not be named to protect the victim's identity.
Judge O'Connor said the only thing in the defendant's favour was his guilty plea which saved his victim having to give evidence and face cross examination.