Man jailed for having sex with 14-year-old neighbour when he was 21

A young Dublin man has been jailed for two years for having sex with a 14-year-old neighbour with whom he was having a relationship.

The girl told gardaí that the man, who was aged 21 years at the time, had not made their relationship public but had been affectionate to her when they were alone. She said she had sex with him on one occasion while she was in his house.

The man (25), who cannot be named to protect his victim's identity, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 17 on a date between July 1 and 24, 2014.

He has 47 previous convictions for assault, drugs offences, false imprisonment, criminal damage and road traffic matters.

Judge Martina Baxter had adjourned the case having heard evidence last July.

Today she sentenced the man to two and half years in prison with the final six months suspended on strict conditions.

Judge Baxter ordered that the man must engage with The Probation Service for two years upon his ultimate release from prison, inform the service of his address at all times and engage with any sex offender treatments programmes and addiction counselling services it may recommend.

Garda Campbell Brennan told Fiona McGowan BL, prosecuting at the sentence hearing that the sexual offence came to light after the girl told her school chaplain. The chaplain then notified the teenager's family and gardaí.

The man initially said he didn't know the girl, but later admitted he had had sex with her once in his bedroom. He said he had not been clear about what age she was.

In a victim impact statement read out by Ms McGowan, the girl described how she became very depressed and attempted suicide after the incident. She said she suffered anxiety and attended rehab for her drug and alcohol addictions.

The girl said she had to give up on school because she couldn't concentrate on anything and that her problems affected her parents' well-being also.

She said her behaviour became aggressive and she pushed away from her parents, but things have been improving because of the treatment she has received.

She revealed she feels paranoid walking past the man's house and different triggers make her think about the incident.

Gda Brennan said he was not aware the girl had attended mental health services prior to the incident when Michael Lynn SC, defending, put this to him.

The garda agreed that the man had had a difficult childhood, had left school at 14 years of age and found himself in a world of drugs and alcohol. The garda further agreed the man had had periods of homelessness.

Mr Lynn submitted to Judge Baxter that his client had entered an early guilty plea, had been co-operative and expressed remorse for any harm he had caused.

Counsel submitted that his client had detoxified from drugs while in custody awaiting sentence on this matter. He said the man had completed an anger management programme and was hopeful to engage with a psychologist in this area.

Judge Baxter noted that “anger is clearly an issue” as the man had 12 disciplinary reports on his prison record.