Brother and sister sexually abused in foster care after teenager took them ‘under his wing’

A Cork man who sexually abused a brother and sister in foster care after taking them “beneath his wing” has been jailed for 9 years on the Central Felony Courtroom.

The accused was aged between 14 and 17 on the time of the offending, whereas his victims had been aged between 9 and 13. The abuse ended when he turned 18 and left the house.

The now 37-year-old accused, who can’t be named to guard the id of his victims, pleaded responsible to a number of counts of raping and sexually assaulting the boy and woman on dates between 2002 and 2004. He additionally pleaded responsible to sexual exploitation of each victims. He has 21 earlier convictions.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott mentioned the age distinction between the accused and his victims had been exploited and the belief they’d in him was “cruelly betrayed”. He mentioned the accused clearly knew what he was doing was flawed and went to nice size to orchestrate his offending. He famous that each victims had suffered deeply.

He mentioned the accused was watching pornography at a younger age, in addition to utilizing alcohol and hashish. The choose mentioned if the accused had offended as an grownup the headline sentence can be 20 to 21 years imprisonment, however as he was a baby on the time he set a headline of 13 years.

Mr Justice McDermott lowered that to 10 years imprisonment after taking mitigation under consideration. With a purpose to encourage the person’s rehabilitation, he suspended the ultimate 12 months for 3 years on strict circumstances. He additionally ordered 5 years submit launch supervision for the safety of the general public and the victims.

An investigating garda informed John Fitzgerald SC, prosecuting, that the brother and sister met the accused after they had been taken into care in the identical dwelling and he took them “beneath his wing”. The garda mentioned there was a interval of him being “good” and belief being constructed up earlier than the abuse started. As soon as the sexual abuse began, the siblings mentioned they had been bodily afraid of the accused.

The accused was arrested in 2020 after a criticism was made to gardaí. He had recommended that his accusers might need been abused by another person, however responsible pleas had been entered previous to a trial date.

Sufferer affect assertion had been ready by the siblings for the choose, however they didn’t want for them to be learn in open courtroom.

Ronan Munro SC, defending, mentioned his consumer deeply regrets and apologises for what he did, He mentioned it has been laborious for the accused to resist it and he hopes the siblings get the remedy they want.

He mentioned the final offence was 20 years in the past, there was no reoffending and the accused now presents as a socially remoted man. He’s assessed as being at medium danger of reoffending.