Boy, 13, sexually assaulted woman at children’s home

A 13-year-old boy who sexually assaulted a woman at a children’s home has been given a six-month suspended sentence and been registered as a sex offender.

The boy, now aged 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Children’s Court to sexually assaulting the woman, who believed she was going to be raped and had to bite his arm to stop him attacking her during the incident nearly two years ago.

Yesterday, Judge Ann Ryan noted his age at the time of the crime but said a victim impact statement showed the attack had had a “profound” effect on the woman and a conviction had to be recorded.

However, the sentence was suspended on condition he does not re-offend within 12 months.

Suzanne Gunn, defending, said the boy was ashamed, had no explanation for assaulting the woman, and had not committed a sexual offence since.

Garda Conor Tumbleton told Judge Ryan the attack happened almost two years ago when the woman had been working in a children’s care home where the boy had been placed.

She did not attend the hearing but in her statement to gardaí, she had described her ordeal.

Garda Tumbleton had said she received a note under the staff toilet door. It was written by the boy and in it he had asked the woman “to meet him”. The boy “confronted” her at a doorway, pushed her and “started to square up to her”.

The boy then “put her in a headlock and after a short period she managed to break free and get out” and leave the building, but he caught up with her. He started to punch her and forced her into another headlock.

“He put his hand inside her top and touched her vagina outside her clothing,” said the garda.

The woman kicked him and tried to run but the teenager shut a door before he pinned her on the floor.

“He made thrusting sexual movements on the injured party, who was face down on the floor. The injured party bit him to his arm until she was able to break free,” said Garda Tumbleton.

In her statement to gardaí she said she was “terrified and thinking about getting out alive without being raped”.

The teenager was moved to a different care facility after the sexual assault but had been held in custody for five weeks until the conclusion of his case yesterday.