Pensioner spared jail for crèche sex attack

An elderly Co Limerick widower who sexually assaulted a two-year-old boy at a crèche has been given a two-year suspended jail sentence at Limerick Circuit Court.

James Kett, aged 78, with an address at Faha, Patrickswell, had previously pleaded guilty to the charge, which occurred at a childminding facility on October 12, 2011.

Judge Carroll Moran refused a defence application not to allow publication of the accused’s name.

Kett, who has been receiving treatment for cancer, was described as a “frail” widower who was disgusted at his actions.

Garda Deirdre Foley, Roxboro Rd Station, said the boy was one of six children attending a crèche to which Kett had access.

On the day of the offence, Kett was alone with the children when the childminder left for 10 minutes to collect another child.

During that time, the assault occurred when the boy went to the toilet.

The offence came to light that night when, as getting ready for bed, the boy told his mother about something at the childminder’s, using the words “yummy yum” and “micky mac”, the term he used to describe his penis.

His father went to the childminder, who said Kett was alone with the children for about 10 minutes. The childminder was shocked.

A special Garda child interviewer met the boy, but he was too young to interview on camera.

Kett made a statement on December 16, 2011, in which he said after the child went to the toilet, he (the accused) fiddled with the child’s penis with his finger. He said there was no oral contact. What happened occurred for a minute or a minute and a half.

Kett said he had never done anything like this before, it was an opportunistic occurrence and unplanned. While he would not say he did not enjoy what he did, he did not get aroused.

The crèche owner decided to close after the incident.