Jury convicts 'grandfather figure' in sex assault case

A Limerick "grandfather figure" has been convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting a young girl on dates in 1998 and 2001.

The jury returned two guilty verdicts by 10-2 majority following almost five hours deliberation.

The seven men and five women have been sent back to the jury room to consider verdicts on the 40 remaining charges against the 60-year-old man.

He had pleaded not guilty to 43 charges - 12 of rape and 31 of sexual assault of the complainant on dates from 1998 to 2005 in Limerick at the start of his trial.

Mr Justice John Edwards directed the jury, following a submission by defence counsel, Mr Brendan Nix SC. Mr Nix (with Mr Philip Moloney BL), to return a not guilty verdict on one of the rape charges.