Former Cork mayor sexually assaulted teen girl

Former lord mayor of Cork John Murray is in prison after a jury found him guilty by a unanimous verdict of sexually assaulting a teenager in 1996. The 83-year-old was taken to prison last night, where he will remain until Dec 2 for sentencing.

The first verdict on one of the six charges came just before lunch yesterday. Later, by majority verdicts, the jury found him guilty on four more sex assault charges against the same teenager and not guilty on one count.

The jury of seven men and five women had been deliberating all morning, following more than two hours of deliberations the previous day, when the forewoman said they had reached a unanimous verdict on count two of the six-count indictment. There were emotional scenes in the packed courtroom as the complainant, now aged around 30, hugged her mother and father on either side of her in the public gallery.