Man who filmed the sexual abuse of his partner’s young niece in Louth has been jailed

A man who filmed the sexual abuse of his partner’s young niece, was jailed for seven years and three months at Dundalk Circuit Court last week.

The 45-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, pleaded guilty to eight offences including four sample counts of sexual assault, one of possessing child abuse material and three of producing child sexual abuse images at a location in County Louth and a further charge of sexual exploitation of a child between February 2015 and April 2023 .

The court heard he has been in protective custody since he was remanded to Cloverhill prison, where he is locked up 23 hours "less the time it takes to take a shower".

Judge Dara Hayes noted the defendant was in the 35 to 43 age range when the offending occurred.

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It came to light over five and a half years ago, when the young girl who had known him all her life, told her mother she had been sexually assaulted by her aunt's partner, before she left to go on a sleepover at the defendant's home.

She said it happened 'lots of times' and it did not make her feel good and the defendant had told her to keep it a secret.

Her aunt's partner initially said there was no truth to any of the allegations, but he later accepted it happened and said he was probably a paedophile.
 
Seven thumbnail images of the girl and three video files were recovered when the defendant's phone was seized and the search history was for key phrases associated with child abuse material and searches related to countries with a lower age of consent.

He had one previous conviction from 2020 for the unlawful possession of drugs.

Probation and psychological reports were prepared for the sentencing hearing and Judge Hayes noted the defendant had been abused as a child.

He began drinking alcohol at 14, taking cannabis at 15 and progressed to cocaine in his 20s and up to his incarceration continued daily cannabis use.

Judge Hayes said the defendant had been unwilling to discuss "certain aspects of his life" and appears to have engaged better with the psychologist who assessed him, than his Probation officer.

However, he had disengaged from One in Four after being challenged over discrepancies in his accounts.

He was assessed as being at high risk of reoffending.

The judge added the 45-year-old had demonstrated shame, embarrassment and had expressed guilt over the impact of his offending on both the victim and her family.

The psychologist's assessment was "somewhat lower" than the Probation officer's.

Judge Hayes said the defendant had sexually assaulted his "de facto niece"and made videos of his abuse.

The girl's mother noticed a change in September 2022 with upsetting outbursts at school and at home and when her daughter told her about the abuse it was as if a weight "had been lifted off her shoulders".

The girl's father, in his victim impact statement, said his sister had taken the defendant's side and said hurtful things about her niece. 

He has not spoken to her since and it has caused irreparable damage to his relationship with his family and his wife's relationship with his father "is destroyed".

Judge Hayes said it cannot be known what impact the abuse will have on the victim in her adolescence and into adulthood but she has the support of loving parents.

The judge imposed concurrent sentences of five and a half year for the sexual assaults,  and consecutive sentences of one year and nine months for possession of the child abuse material and two years and nine months  for production of the child abuse images.

That amounts to an effective sentence of eight years and three months, but Judge Hayes said it is the clear opinion that he requires further supervision and counselling and as such he was suspending the final 12 months on the defendant entering a good behaviour bond for five years and that he places himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for three years post release.

He must also engage with the preparation of a plan for post release supervision and engage with offence-focused work, and with addiction counselling and residential drug treatment as directed.

The defendant must also take part in the Safer Lives sex offenders programme and have no contact directly or indirectly with the victim, her parents or siblings.

He is not allowed to reside in the same household as a person under the age of 18  without the approval of his Probation officer or have contact with children without the approval of the Probation officer or the child protection agency.