A MIDLANDS teenager who raped his six year old niece in 1993 has been given a seven year suspended sentence after the Central Criminal Court was told a prison term would adversely affect the victim.
Mr Justice Flood said the sentence was made entirely in the interests of the girl, now nine years old, and for no one else. At an earlier hearing the victim's father said he feared a jail term would aggravate family problems.
Mr Justice Flood suspended the sentence on the 19 year old rapist under strict conditions over the seven years. He must enter into a bond to keep the peace attend regular meetings with a probation officer report to his local Garda station every Saturday attend a psychiatrist until discharged abstain from alcohol and not go within two miles of the victim.
When told the defendant lived nearly 10 miles from his local Garda station, Mr Justice Flood added "He can get a bike".
The teenager had pleaded guilty to raping his niece four times in 1993. A garda had told Ms Maureen Clark SC (with Mr Roger Sweetman), prosecuting that the offences happened while the youth babysat. The abuse had come to light while the child's father was bathing her. The girl complained about what her uncle had done and her father reacted by throwing him out of the house.
When interviewed by a garda, the defendant said he only had minimal penetration with his niece. But later it was discovered that much fuller penetration had occurred.