Cork man, 75, admits attempted rape and assault on niece

A 75-year-old man who admitted molesting and trying to rape his niece with special needs is to be sentenced next month.

The man, who cannot be named, tried to rape the young teenager 10 years ago.

In her victim impact report, the woman said she was still afraid of the man and her plans for her life changed as a result of the abuse.

The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to attempted rape and sexual assault of the child in Co Cork on unknown dates between 2005 and 2008.

The victim was aged between 11 and 14 at the time. He also admitted attempted rape of the victim in Co Limerick on an unknown date between 2011 and 2012 and sexually assaulting her on December 23, 2011. He has no previous convictions.

The investigating garda told Martina Baxter, prosecuting, the victim was functioning on the mild intellectual disability range and was currently in residential care with the HSE. In 2011, she disclosed the sexual assaults to a social worker.

After his arrest, the man admitted all of the offences and told investigators that the girl was telling the truth.

In a victim impact report , the woman wrote: “I did like myself before and I liked my plan in life. I don’t like myself now. I keep saying, why did it happen? There’s no solution as to why.”

She added: “Sometimes I feel sad and I want to hurt myself. I want to jump in the river sometimes.”

Mary Rose Gearty, defending, said her client was a single man who had never married and had never been in a sexual relationship with a woman. She submitted a jail sentence would be more difficult for a man of his age.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the man was facing a custodial sentence but that he was entitled to bear in mind that a substantial jail term would occupy a greater portion of the remainder of his life.

He adjourned the matter to December and ordered a risk assessment on the man.