A MAN who raped a 13-year-old girl at a Communion celebration after plying her with alcohol has been jailed for nine years.
Noel Savage (45), originally from Bray, Co Wicklow, but with an address at Corrib Park, Newcastle, Galway, had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court last July to sexual assault of the girl at a house in Galway on May 16th, 2010.
He was found guilty of one count of rape and a further count of sexual assault of the same girl by a jury later that month. He had pleaded not guilty to those charges.
During the trial, the victim gave evidence via video-link that before the assault Savage had given her and her friends vodka and coke throughout the party.
In a letter of apology to the victim and her family, read out by Tim O’Leary SC, defending, Savage said he “sincerely apologises for his conduct, the hurt, pain and anxiety caused” and that he was glad the crime was reported.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said Savage had taken advantage of a vulnerable child who suffered flashbacks, depression and anxiety as a result of the assault.
Mr Justice McCarthy sentenced Savage to nine years for rape and seven years and five years for the other two counts. All sentences are to run concurrently.
The court had heard that at the house, after the Communion celebrations, the adults were in the kitchen and the younger children were in the front room, where the victim and two other girls drank vodka and Coca-Cola.
The victim and two other girls then went to a spare bedroom at about 1am where they all shared a double bed. Savage then went into the room to say goodnight to the girls.
He then put his hands down the victim’s pyjamas before kissing her and assaulting her.
He brought her to the bathroom where she vomited and then he brought her back to the bedroom where he attempted to have sex with her.
The victim told gardaí she woke up at 6am and realised she was still naked and put her underwear back on and went back to sleep until 9am.
When she awoke for a second time, the two other girls asked her why she had not got her pyjamas on and she told them what had happened.
She then went back to her own house and told her older sister what had happened and the gardaí were called.