Jury finds man not guilty of sexually assaulting babysitter
Michael O’Grady, 59, of Meadowbrook, Corbally, Limerick, had pleaded not guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to 10 counts of indecent assault. The jury returned majority not guilty verdicts on all 10 counts.
On leaving the court, Mr O’Grady said the experience had been traumatic and he was glad and relieved it was all over.
The alleged victim told the trial assaults happened between Oct 1976 and Jan 1981 in Limerick and Shannon when she babysat for the accused and his wife.
She claimed that, as well as oral sex, the accused had digitally penetrated her vagina. She said she also watched porn videos at his home in Shannon.
In evidence at the trial and in statements given voluntarily to gardaí, Michael O’Grady repeatedly denied all the allegations.
His wife told the trial they did not have a video at their home in Shannon and all they had was a rented black and white TV.
The trial heard Mr O’Grady returned home from France in 2009 where he had a villa, having developed a drink problem.
A man he knew, who cannot be named, gave evidence of putting the allegations to Mr O’Grady after picking him up at Shannon airport when he arrived from France.
When he did so, he said the accused replied he was waiting for this day for 25 to 30 years and said the allegations were true.
Mr O’Grady, in evidence, denied having such a conversation. The only matters they discussed were the problems he caused for his wife over his drinking and his wish to hold onto his marriage.
Det Garda Michelle O’Halloran gave evidence of voluntary interviews Mr O’Grady gave at Mayorstone Garda station where they met by arrangement.
He rejected the allegations,describing them in one interview as “rubbish and a load of crap”.
He said the woman’s family were still talking to him at the time and if he did what she had claimed, he would be dead, because if it was his child the person involved would be dead.
