Man (58) jailed for sexually assaulting his daughter's friend in Louth

A 58 year old man who sexually assaulted his daughter’s 18 year old friend in County Louth, has been jailed for a year at Wicklow Circuit Court.

The defendant, who admitted committing the offence on November 23rd 2019, had been assessed as being at low risk of re-offending, but Dundalk Circuit Court had previously heard how he had made contact with the victim twice on social media.

Evidence in the case had initially been heard at Dundalk Circuit Court, and the sentencing was finalised last Tuesday by Judge Patrick Quinn.

The original hearing was told that the victim had stayed over at the defendant’s home where she’d been socialising with his daughter and after watching YouTube videos to fall asleep she woke to find him sexually assaulting her.

The defendant claimed he had gone into the bedroom, and touched the teenager's leg, when he went to turn off her phone to stop it making noise.

Last year Judge Quinn was told the victim had been sent a YouTube link on What’sApp from a phone number, which had a profile photo of the defendant and she also received a friend request on Tik Tok.

Sentencing had been adjourned for updated Probation reports, with the defendant giving an undertaking to have no contact with the injured party.

Judge Quinn sentenced him to two years, with the final 12 months suspended for four years.

It was backdated to January 10th last, and as part of the sentence, the defendant has also been placed under the supervision of the Probation Service for two years post release.