Wexford man given nine-year sentence for abuse

A Wexford man who raped and sexually abused a young boy over a period of four years has been given a nine-year sentence by Mr Justice Roderick Murphy at the Central Criminal Court.

The 62-year-old man was convicted by a jury on January 29 last on 24 charges of anal and oral rape and sexual assault of now teenage boy on dates from April 1996 to June 2000.

The victim was aged between five and ten years old when the crimes happened. The jury returned the 24 guilty verdicts on day nine of the trial following 12 hours' deliberation.

The convict had denied 27 counts of anal and oral rape and sexual assault. He was acquitted by the jury on two charges of anal rape and one of oral rape.

A victim impact report prepared on behalf of the now 18-year-old boy described him as "articulate and bright" but suffering from symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The boy described in the report having a generalised fear of men and of being alone. He struggled to recall happy memories from his childhood and describing "crying so much I don't know if I have any tears left."

He said he could not get his childhood back and wanted his abuser to answer for what he had done.

Defence counsel, Mr John Phelan SC (with Mr Liam Stafford BL), told Mr Justice Murphy that the convict, who has no previous convictions, was maintaining his innocence.

Prosecuting counsel, Ms Deirdre Murphy SC (with Mr Bernard Condon BL), said the Director of Public Prosecutions considered the abuse to be at the serious end of the scale due to the boy's age and vulnerability; and the duration and severity of the abuse.

Mr Justice Murphy imposed a nine-year sentence, suspended the final two years on strict conditions and directed that the man be registered as a sex offender.