Man, 79, denies grabbing woman’s breast in lift

A 79-year-old man, never in trouble in his life, denied grabbing a young woman’s breast in a lift at Blarney Woollen Mills. And he told a court: “If it was to free Ireland, I would not do it at all, ever.”

Andrew O’Callaghan of Gurrane South, Donoughmore, Co Cork, told Cork District Court he was on his way to the upper floor of the store to buy socks and nothing untoward happened.

Widowed for the past four years, he told his solicitor Frank Buttimer how he reacted to the allegation of sexual assault. “I did not take it serious, not an iota of it, I never touched the girl,” he said.

O’Callaghan said he put his hand on her shoulder briefly on the way out of the lift.

He said it was very dark in the lift. When the door opened and lit up the elevator, he saw that the young woman was four or five inches away from him and he did not know why she was so close to him.

The young woman said the defendant put one hand around her waist and caught one of her breasts with his other hand.

Inspector Michael McGuire submitted during the case the complainant was honest enough to say she was unsure about whether he had touched her breast with his left or right hand.

The inspector also referred the judge to evidence that the first person who saw the young woman after the disputed incident noticed she was upset.

Judge Olann Kelleher found the facts proven against Andrew O’Callaghan and put the case back to Apr 17 for a victim impact statement.

Judge Kelleher said: “It is a sad and traumatic case for the individuals and families on all sides.”

The judge said he had to take into consideration the defendant was in the autumn of his life and that the injured party was very upset by what happened.