Child rapist convicted of sex assault and defilement of girl
Walsh, aged 64, formerly of Belgrave Road, Rathgar, and also Harold’s Cross Road, is currently serving 10 years for the rape and indecent assault of two girls aged nine and seven.
In under two hours of deliberation, the jury yesterday at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on 11 counts, two of sexual assault and nine of defilement on dates between August 1, 2008, and January 6, 2009.
Judge Desmond Hogan had previously withdrawn three counts of defilement as no evidence was heard in relation to them.
The now 17-year-old victim broke down and was embraced by her parents as the verdict was read out.
Walsh, who represented himself after sacking his legal team in the final days of the trial, did not react to the verdict and immediately indicated he intends to appeal his conviction.
During the trial, the victim told Tara Burns, prosecuting, that she was first introduced to Walsh, a friend of her father’s, when she was in sixth class.
He became a regular visitor to her home and in July 2008, when she was 14, he moved in permanently with the family.
The girl broke down as she told the jury that approximately two weeks after he moved in, she was at home alone with Walsh.
He told her he was going to “get involved” with her and later said he loved her.
About two weeks later, she and Walsh were alone when he brought her to a bedroom in the home and tried to have sexual intercourse with her. He then digitally penetrated her.
On the next occasion, he brought her to a house in Glasthule where he had full sexual intercourse with her, which caused her to bleed.
She said: “I asked him to stop but he continued to do it. I asked him to stop because the pain was so bad.”
The girl detailed to the jury two further occasions in December 2008 and early January 2009 when Walsh had sex with her before she told her mother what had occurred.
He fled her house on the morning of January 6, 2009, and her mother and the girl followed him in the car.
When they caught up with him, he got back in the car and the girl challenged Walsh to tell her mother what had happened. He denied anything had occurred between them and jumped out of the car. She followed him and asked him: “Why have you made a liar out of me in front of my mam?”
Walsh replied: “I am 62, you are 15, if anyone knew, they would crucify me.”
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