A Cavan man who sexually assaulted a 79-year-old woman has been remanded for sentence by the Central Criminal Court. Thomas Cawley (64), John Paul Avenue, Cavan, pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the woman on July 19th, 1996.
He was remanded in custody for sentence on April 29th next by Mr Justice Smith, who directed the preparation of victim impact and probation reports. Prosecuting counsel Mr Anthony Sammon SC (with Mr Desmond Zaiden) entered a nolle prosequi on a second charge that Cawley also raped the victim, now 82, on the same date.
A jury had been sworn in for Cawley's trial on the two charges of raping the woman and indecently assaulting her on the same date, but before the trial started defence counsel Mr Gregory Murphy SC (with Mr Brendan Mulhall), indicated his client wished to change his plea from not guilty on both charges to guilty on the sex assault count.