A man who indecently assaulted a 13 year old girl was sentenced to two years by Judge Patrick Smith at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
The man told the girl she would die and a fire would start in her stomach if she told any one what happened. He pleaded guilty to indecent assault on a date unknown in May 1987 and was remanded in custody for sentencing yesterday.
The girl made a statement to gardai in May 1994 and said the defendant had pulled at her clothes and tried to have intercourse with her. She had gone with him to help collect wood close to Collon in Co Louth.
Earlier this week the court was told the matter had been brought to the attention of the health board in 1988 and the defendant had gone to a psychologist. He admitted the offence and had complied with all the directions of the health board.
The maximum sentence is 10 years but the judge said it seemed appropriate to sentence him to two years. Leave to appeal was refused.