Tipperary man guilty of indecently assaulting young niece

on 06/02/2013 20:44:38

A Tipperary man has today been convicted of indecently assaulting his niece but acquitted of raping her following a six-day trial at the Central Criminal Court.

The 65-year-old man, who can not be named for legal reasons, had pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of indecent assault and one count of rape against his niece on dates between 1975 and 1982.

The victim was aged between eight and 15 years old at the time.

The jury of three women and nine men returned verdicts of guilty on four counts of indecent assault on dates in 1980 and 1982 following six hours and 21 minutes deliberation.

The jury acquitted the man of 10 counts of indecent assault and the one count of rape.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy thanked the jury for their service and set a sentence date later this month when evidence will be heard and a plea in mitigation made on behalf of the man.

He granted an application to allow the accused remain on bail to put his affairs in order prior to sentencing given his particular circumstances but said it was not usually his practice.