Farmer admits sexual abuse of grandnieces

A FARMER in his mid-50s, who admitted sexually assaulting two of his grandnieces, has had his case deferred for sentencing to the October sessions of Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court.

The defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault against the older sister, on dates between April 1 and June 30 in the years 2013 to 2017 inclusive, when she was aged between eight and 13 years of age.

He pleaded to a further six counts of a similar nature in respect of the younger sister, on dates between April 1 and June 30 in the years 2013 to 2018 when the girl was aged between seven and 12 years.

The charges admitted to are samples taken from 27 counts originally levied against the man relating to each victim (54 in all), dating from the beginning of 2011 until August 2018.

Each girl would have been aged six at the time of the earliest allegations of abuse against them. They are now in their early 20s.

The man had originally denied all charges against him, and a jury of seven men and five women had been empanelled at the outset of the April sittings of the court.

This was the third jury that was formed in respect of the case, which had to be adjourned and relisted on a number of previous occasions.

After two days of legal argument, however, in respect of whether one of the injured parties should be allowed to give her evidence via a video link from another room in the court building rather than from the courtroom itself, the accused’s lawyers signalled that he wished to be re-arraigned.

When this was done the defendant confirmed that he was changing his plea to one of guilty in respect to the 11 sample counts listed above.

Frank Martin BL, prosecuting, said the State was accepting the pleas on a full facts basis.

The defendant’s lead barrister, Mr James McGowan SC, applied for a probation and welfare report on his client, and also for further disclosure from the prosecution in respect of an issue that had arisen during the lengthy legal argument.

In remanding the defendant on continuing bail to the Monaghan Circuit Court sittings commencing on October 6 next, Judge John Aylmer discharged the jury and thanked them for their time over the week.

In relation to bail conditions, the judge acceded to a request from Mr Martin that the man be warned not to come into any contact with either injured party in the meantime, particularly in relation to the driving routes he chooses in relation to his farming.

Mr Martin had raised a concern all the parties lived within a certain proximity, and that the accused was sometimes “making his presence felt” to the complainants by waving at them as he drove past.

Judge Aylmer made it clear to the defendant that if there were any breaches in that regard, at any time before the October sentence hearing, the matter would be “dealt with forthwith”.

* Published with support from the Court Reporting Scheme.