Cork care worker jailed for sexually assaulting woman with intellectual disabilities

Beautician became suspicious when woman told her about her boyfriend and alerted family, who in turn told gardaí, court heard

Accused was jailed for three years and three months at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Picture: Larry Cummins 

A beautician treating a young woman who had a mild intellectual disability became suspicious when the customer started telling her about a boyfriend and she alerted the woman’s family.

Ultimately, this led to an investigation whereby 49-year-old Robert Hull, of Lotamore Drive, Mayfield, was found to have engaged in sexual acts with her. 

On Wednesday, he was jailed for three years and three months at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

He had been working as a care worker looking after a man with disabilities when he met the young woman, who was also a service user with the same organisation. 

Judge James McCourt said he could not overstate what an appalling breach of trust it was. Given the sexual encounters occurred three times over a period of months, the judge described the offences as “concerted and unforgivable”.

He imposed a jail term of three years and six months, suspending the last three months of the sentence.

There is no prohibition on identifying the accused but there is in respect of the complainant, who is described as a protected person.

Detective Sergeant Christopher Cahill brought the case against Robert Hull. The first charge states that on an unknown date between April and August 2019, he “did invite, induce, counsel or incite a protected person to engage in a sexual act, namely that he touched her breasts, knowing that the person is a protected person or being reckless as to whether that person is a protected person”. 

The second and third charges are similar but the alleged sexual acts are described as penetration of her mouth with his penis and digital penetration of her vagina.

Det Sgt Cahill said the young woman was at a beauty salon when she told the beauty therapist she had a boyfriend. The therapist was aware of the woman’s intellectual disability and notified the woman’s brother, who in turn told gardaí of the family’s concerns.

Specialist interviewers spoke to the woman in her early 30s, who is in the mild range of intellectual disability, according to evidence before the court. 

Sgt Cahill said she is a person who does not perceive potential danger in a situation and has some history of being manipulated.

Specialist interviewer

The injured party told the specialist interviewer she engaged in a number of sexual acts with a man responsible for the care of another service user.

When the accused was arrested and the allegations put to him, he made admissions.

He had contacted the victim by Facebook messenger and engaged in three sexual acts with her in his car in a car park after he finished work on occasions. 

There was one text message sent to her from Robert Hull telling her “to keep the relationship to herself and not to discuss it”. He signed pleas of guilty to the charges.

There was no victim impact statement as the family of the young woman took the view it would be better not to inform her in case it would “reopen old wounds”. 

Defence barrister Emmet Boyle told the court the accused man said: “I have no explanation as to how I could do it.” 

Mr Boyle said Robert Hull, a married father of three, was sorry for what he had done and accepted he occasioned great harm to a protected person. He said the defendant experienced suicidal ideation since he committed the offences.