Dundalk man Bill Morrissey has been sentenced to over seven years in prison for sexually assaulting three young girls

Bill Morrissey (58), Brookwood Lawns, Red Barns Road, Dundalk, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault committed over a two-year period in the late 1990s.

The case was heard in camera at Dundalk District Court, but the victims waived their anonymity so that the name of their attacker could be revealed.

Judge Dara Hayes said the incident was a gross breach of trust and that the defendant had taken advantage of the three cousins.

“Her childhood was stolen to satisfy his sexual deviances.”

Mr Morrissey pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody on 8 May.

One victim was approximately seven years old at the time of the crime on an unknown date between July 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998.

The second offender was 14 or 15 years old at the time, on an unknown date between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 1999; the third was approximately 7 or 8 years old when the offence was committed on an unknown date between 1 July 1997 and 31 July 1998.

The first victim had been digitally penetrated by the defendant, suffered from psychological problems as a result and had been taking medication since the age of 15.

The second victim was working as a babysitter when the defendant called and was invited in. He grabbed the teenager’s breasts and tried to take off her clothes.

He was interrupted by a crying child upstairs. He left a few coins and told the girl to buy cigarettes.

After that, she no longer led a normal teenage life. Her mental health and self-esteem were affected. She suffered from anxiety and could not trust anyone.

Further reviewing the evidence, Judge Hayes said the third child was sleeping in Morrissey’s home when he crawled on top of her and rubbed himself up and down her legs through a bed cover.

She spoke of the significant impact on her and her mental health, as well as the additional length of the court proceedings.

Bill Morrissey has 40 previous convictions, not even for sexual offenses.

He has three children with his first wife and two with his current partner.

He has since taken responsibility for the offense and written a letter of apology.

In a probation report, he admitted to being sexually aroused.

He was identified as being at medium risk for sexual offending and at low risk for violent offending.

Judge Hayes said all the victims had suffered lifelong effects.

The incident involving the first child was the most serious as it involved digital penetration, while in the second child’s case the judge said it was degrading to throw money around.

Things could have been worse if the child’s crying hadn’t interrupted him.

The defendant had denied the allegations until the trial last year.

His admissions of guilt were not as valuable as previous confessions, but they were always valuable.

The judge noted that he believed the defendant’s remorse might have been even greater if he had pleaded guilty earlier.

Consecutive prison sentences of 3 years and 2 months, 2 years and 9 months and 1 year and 6 months were imposed, for a total of seven years and five months, retroactive to 8 May 2024.

One year of the sentence was suspended with conditions that include Morrissey not having unsupervised contact with children under the age of 18 and being under supervision for two years after release from prison.

Judge Hayes addressed the victims and said he was sorry they had to appear in court. This should never have happened.

“I am grateful that you have come to court so that he can be punished for the horrible things he did to you as children.”