Man jailed after turning to 10-year-old for sex

A man who fell out with his partner, then turned to her 10-year-old daughter for sex has been sentenced to 12 years, with three suspended.

The man, who cannot be named, told gardaí he had been having difficulty with his partner and it came into his mind that he would “ask the child for sex and if she said no I would stop”.

The investigating garda agreed with Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that the man said in his mind he thought it was “okay” and he thought there “was an element of consent”.

The abuse came to light when the girl’s mother discovered her diary.

Sean Gillane SC, defending, said the offences were “an appalling sexualisation of a relationship” and his client was delusional in how he “substituted a child for the position of his partner”.

Counsel said his client has since accepted full responsibility for his actions.

The 38-year-old man, who is originally from the Philippines, as are the victim and her mother, pleaded guilty to four charges of defilement, having sex with a child without their consent, and 15 charges of sexual assault of the girl on dates between July 2010 and March 2013, when the victim was aged between 10 and 13 years old.

Mr Justice Paul Carney suspended the final three years of the term, taking into account his guilty plea and lack of past convictions.