Kilkenny man convicted of sexually abusing eight boys

A Kilkenny man has been convicted of sexually abusing eight boys more than 30 years ago.

The man had denied the allegations but was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court on Thursday.

After deliberating for ten hours and thirteen minutes, the jury returned guilty verdicts on 78 counts, including eight counts of oral rape, anal rape and sexual assault.

The man had pleaded not guilty to a total of 121 charges against the boys, including sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape between 1995 and 2007.

Judge Eileen Creeden thanked the jurors for their time and excused them from jury duty for seven years. The applicants present in court were supported by family members and remained calm and collected throughout.

While the verdicts were read out in court, the defendant remained silent but restless.

Judge Creedon revoked the man’s bail and remanded him in custody. She adjourned sentencing in the matter to July 8 and ordered the preparation of submissions on the impact of the eight charges in the case.

At the opening of the trial last month, Dominic McGinn SC’s prosecution told jurors that the man was accused of sexual abuse involving anal and oral rape of eight boys over a period of 12 years.

He said the case involves two groups consisting of three brothers and two other young boys, all of whom allege that the man abused them in his houses and also in some other areas of the town.

Mr McGinn said the defendant “lured her into conversation by offering cigarettes” and then invited her to his home “where he took advantage of her innocence, naivety and confusion”.

He said a man was sexually assaulted and anally raped by the man between 1995 and 1996 when he was between 11 and 13 years old.

A second man was sexually abused by him between 1997 and 1999 when he was 11 years old.

The man was convicted of abusing three brothers in a family.

The first of these brothers was sexually assaulted, raped both anally and orally, between 1996 and 2000 when he was between 11 and 13 years old.

His brother was about 11 years old when he was sexually abused by the man between 1999 and 2000.

The third of these brothers was of a similar age when he was also sexually abused by the man.

A second family of three brothers were also abused by the man between 1998 and 2007, when they were between 10 and 17 years old.

The first of these brothers was raped orally and anally by the defendant when he was between 10 and 15 years old.

The second of these brothers was sexually abused more often than the other boys.

The last of these brothers was sexually abused by the man between the ages of 10 and 16.

These brothers reported the abuse to their mother in 2000 and gardaí were alerted, but the case went no further.

The court heard that one of the complainants attacked the defendant’s home several years later. He was arrested and prosecuted for this crime.

During the investigation into this attack, the man claimed that he was abused by the defendant, which is why he reacted this way. His disclosure prompted the other men to come forward.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour rape crisis hotline on 1800-77 8888, access the text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or Rape visit Crisis ErLP.