Jury 'pressurised' into finding man guilty of abusing babysitter due to weather warning, lawyers argue

Lawyers for a Donegal man jailed for indecently assaulting a babysitter almost 40 years ago have claimed the jury that convicted him were “pressurised” into returning a guilty verdict on a Friday evening when weather warnings were in place.

Patrick Patton (aged 65), of Cashelard, Ballyshannon, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of indecently assaulting the then 14-year-old babysitter in his home in July 1980. He pleaded not guilty to a third count of indecently assaulting another young female between June 1981 and August 1982.