Man guilty of defiling ex-girlfriend’s 13-year-old sister

A Wexford man who had sex with his ex-girlfriend’s 13-year-old sister has been sentenced to three years with the final two suspended, writes Sonya McLean

The 25-year-old man pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to defilement of a child at his home on March 2, 2010. He was registered a sex offender.

The man was 19 at the time of the offence.

The investigating garda confirmed the girl did not want to give evidence at trial or provide a victim impact report.

He has 42 previous convictions, including possession of knives, drugs, and theft offences.

He has not come to Garda attention since 2010.

The man was arrested the day after the sexual contact, but during interview denied any sexual contact.

He claimed the teenager had been pursuing him and he arranged for her to come to his house so he could “let her down gently”.

He told gardaí if his DNA was found on her it would be as a result of them sitting shoulder to shoulder on the couch.

The garda told Fiona McGowan, prosecuting, the man’s DNA was found on the girl’s underwear and he was re-arrested in July 2010.

He denied any sexual contact and re-iterated his DNA was on her because they were sitting beside each other.

Judge Patrick McCartan said he was satisfied there was “nothing approaching consent” in the case and noted there was a significant age gap between them.

This story first appeared in the Read More: Irish Examiner.