Dundalk man (77) jailed for abusing his nieces

A 77 year old man who abused his twin brother's young daughters over 40 years ago, was jailed for 12 months at Dundalk Circuit Court last week.

Denis Duffy of Lurgankeel, Kilcurry, Dundalk admitted two separate counts of indecently assaulting them between January 1st1980 and January 30th 1981.

Both victims, who had waived their anonymity so their uncle could be named, were separately tricked into putting their hands into the defendant’s trouser pocket, when he told them to reach in to find sweets to get them to touch him.

The older sister, who was aged between three and five, told her younger sibling, who was not yet three not to say anything as they could get into trouble, but the younger girl didn’t pay any heed and told her parents when they got home.

They were given a general warning to stay away from their uncle, who the court heard had mental health issues all of his life and underwent electro-shock therapy as a younger man.

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The investigating garda told the original sentencing hearing in November how when the allegations were put to him, the defendant “admitted to that being a thing he would have done”.

The older complainant, who is now 48, from the witness box told how the abuse had shaped her whole life, and reporting it to gardai had ripped her family apart.

She’s had 99 weekly therapy sessions and suffers from PTSD, night terrors, sleep paralysis and eating disorders – and said the defendant told her “how stupid, fat and ugly I was”.

A victim impact statement by her sister, who now lives in Seattle, which was read to the court in her absence, said she is proud of her “bold, younger self” for stopping any further abuse and added that “speaking up can make a huge difference”.

When the allegations were put to him, the defendant “admitted to that being a thing he would have done”.

The court was told the defendant had suffered from mental health issues from a young age, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and had undergone electro-convulsive therapy in the past.

The case was adjourned to last Tuesday for finalisation so the court could consider the evidence and reports provided by the Defence.

Judge Dara Hayes said that had the offences been committed in this century the maximum sentence available would have been 14 years but the maximum penalty at the time of the offending was two years.

The judge noted the defendant had no previous convictions, had not otherwise come to adverse garda attention and was assessed as being at low risk of re-offending.

However, he said it was very serious offending, involving a significant breach of trust and he had taken preparatory steps in cutting the hole in his pocket.

He imposed consecutive sentences totalling 18 months with the final six months suspended for 12 months on the defendant entering a good behaviour bond.