A man who had unlawful sex with his 16 year old niece was given a one year suspended prison sentence at Galway District Court yesterday. The court heard that the 24 year old man had unlawful carnal knowledge of his niece at a beach in his car on September 26th, 1995.
In a statement, the man said he was visiting relations with his niece and they had stopped at the beach on the way home "where one thing led to another." She neither resisted nor consented and he admitted the offence when confronted by gardai, the court was told. Clinical psychologist Mr Eamonn Murphy said he was satisfied that the incident would not harm the girl, who did not want her uncle jailed.