Victim of sex abuse who abused boys given four years with one suspended

A former underage soccer team coach who sexually abused four boys during the 1990s has received a four-year sentence with one suspended at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The victims of Des Foley (aged 49), who was himself abused at an industrial school, have rejected a €30,000 compensation offer from an award paid out to him as a victim of sexual abuse at a residential insitution.

Foley, of Coultry Road, Ballymun, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting four boys aged between eight and 14 years old on dates between 1989 and 1996.

Foley’s victims told Judge Frank O’Donnell that the effects of the abuse still effect their lives causing them to have problems with substance abuse, people in authority, sexual relationships and anger management.

One man, now in his 30s, said he began using heroin as a young teenager so he would not have to think about the abuse and then got involved in crime. He told Judge O’Donnell: "My life ended when I met him."

Another man, in his late 80s, said he had difficulties with sexual relationships and trust. He said he "smokes dope" to stay calm, has attempted suicide and has nightmares about the abuse.

Defence counsel, Mr Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, said Foley, who gambled and drank away the majority of his €100,000 award, has pledged never to sexually abuse again and wishes to help others "recognise and understand abusers of children". He said Foley accepts "his own trauma does not minimise his actions".

Garda Ronan McMorrow told Ms Mary Rose Gearty BL, prosecuting, that Foley repeatedly sexually abused the boys, whom he had befriended through the football team, after inviting them back to his flat.

The abuse took the form of touching the children’s genitalia and mutual masturbation

He threatened the boys, telling one he would "cut his mother's head off" if he told anyone, and also claimed to be in the IRA which would "retaliate" if the children told anyone. He told another child it was "our little secret".

Gda McMorrow said Foley, who has 10 previous convictions, was arrested in November 2007 and admitted some incidents of sexual assault.

Mr Ó Lideadha that Foley had a "very serious" drink and gambling addiction and accepts he used all kind of tactics to maintain the sexual abuse but does not accept he made the "IRA threats".

Mr Ó Lideadha read a letter from Foley in which he apologised to the victims and outlined how he had been abused between the age of eight and 15 at an industrial school.

He said Foley was sent to the school aged seven when his father died and suffered severe physical and sexual abuse from a senior cleric.

Mr Ó Lideadha said Foley has undergone months of intensive counselling and had pledged he would never sexually abuse again. He said Foley now wished to help others "recognise and understand abusers of children".