
Man sentenced to 11 years in prison for rape and sexual assault of his goddaughter
The man (42) was convicted of two counts of rape and three of sexual assault following a trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick earlier this year.
Advertisement
The court heard that the incidents occurred between 2009 and 2012 at locations in Co Clare, when the girl was aged between six and nine years old. The man was in his late 20s at this time.
He can't be identified to protect her right to anonymity. The court previously heard he is married to the girl's aunt and her godfather.
The man continues to maintain his innocence.
On Thursday, he was handed a sentence of 11 years and six months, with the final six months suspended for one year on strict conditions.
Advertisement
In a victim impact statement read on her behalf at an earlier hearing, the injured party said her childhood and innocence were stolen.
She said she doesn't recall any happy memories, only fear and pain. She said she may 'never be able to be normal'.
She 'remembers everything he did to me,' and it makes her feel 'sick and depressed'.
She said she was an innocent child and 'no child deserves to be raped and sexually assaulted by a grown man'.
Advertisement
'I was a helpless child, crying for him to stop, but he never did'.
She said she 'wanted to die' and stopped eating, going to 'skin and bone'. She also suffered from depression and anxiety.
She said she feels the same, despite the man's conviction, adding that it is 'great he will get a few years in prison, which is some justice...but not for me'.
She said what happened will always be with her, and it 'saddens and sickens me how any man can rape a child'.
Advertisement
Imposing sentence today, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo noted the seriousness of this offending, its impact on the victim, her age at the time and that multiple incidents occurred.
He set a headline sentence of 13 years to reflect the man's global offending, which he reduced to 11 and a half years, taking into account the mitigation, including testimonials on the man's behalf.
Mr Justice Naidoo noted the testimonials state that the man has made 'positive contributions' to his community, including a local sports club.
An investigating garda gave evidence that the man touched the girl inappropriately for the first time just after her sixth birthday while she was staying at his home.
Advertisement
He raped her in a separate incident after giving her his phone to play a game on. She didn't know what was happening, and when she asked him, he replied, 'It's okay, it will be over soon'.
The girl said it felt like her insides were being ripped apart, and she was crying and begging him to stop.
In another incident, he touched the girl inappropriately. His wife came home and was unhappy that the girl was not in school. After her aunt left, the man raped the girl. He again gave her his phone to play with.
The girl noticed some bleeding afterwards. Her mother and grandmother gave evidence during the trial that they knew about this bleeding, but there was no medical follow-up at the time.
At a later date, the defendant brought the girl to another location where he touched her inappropriately. She asked to go home, telling him she didn't like being touched.
The girl disclosed the abuse in 2020, and a specialist interview took place in early 2021. She requested that the investigation be paused while she completed her state exams, and it resumed after she made another statement.
The defendant denied the allegations when interviewed. During the trial, the defence case was that these events didn't happen, with the girl having false, untrue or invented memories.
The defendant has no previous convictions.
The investigating garda agreed with Mark Nicholas SC, defending, that there is no evidence that the man told the girl not to tell anyone.
It was further accepted that the man has a long work history, seems well-regarded in his community and has been involved in fundraising and community activities.
Mr Nicholas asked the court to take into account the running of the trial. He submitted that the sexual assaults were not at the more serious end of the range for this type of offending.
Counsel asked the court to take into account his client's personal circumstances and any mitigating features of the case, including his client's lack of previous convictions.
Testimonials were submitted to the court on the man's behalf, which Mr Nicholas said described his client as a good worker and a provider for his family.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help
.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
15 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Pub chef who sexually assaulted and murdered artist as she walked dog gets six more years in jail
A pub chef who murdered an artist while she walked her dog will spend nearly six more years in prison after Court of Appeal judges increased his sentence. Harrison Lawrence Van-Pooss was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25-and-a-half years in February for killing Claire Knights, 54, in Kent almost two years ago. He ambushed her as she walked back from a beach near Minnis Bay, sexually assaulted and then murdered her before dumping her body. The 'highly sexualised' killer was seen on CCTV going to the gym and buying snacks just hours before the brutal murder. The 21-year-old then 'feigned' symptoms of psychosis following his arrest, the Court of Appeal was told on Friday. His sentence was referred by the Solicitor General for being unduly lenient, with Lord Justice Edis, Mr Justice Calver and Judge Angela Morris increasing Van-Pooss' minimum term to one of 31 years. Jonathan Polnay KC, for the SG, said the judge at Canterbury Crown Court did not give enough weight to how Ms Knights had been targeted as a lone woman, the extreme nature of the violence and that her body had been hidden for two days before it was discovered. He also said the judge gave too much credit for Van-Pooss's guilty plea and his sentence therefore 'required an uplift of substance'. Quoting Canterbury Crown Court judge Mr Justice Garnham, he said: 'This was a merciless beating causing catastrophic brain injuries and multiple facial fractures. There would have been a very significant period of mental and physical suffering. 'She must have been terrified as she considered the likelihood that you were going to kill her.' Mr Polnay added: 'That is an aggravating factor of some weight. That's not part and parcel of a murder.' He also referenced mitigating factors considered by the original judge. One of those was Van-Pooss' guilty plea, which he submitted in December 2024, over a year after Ms Knights' death in August 2023. This followed several reports to determine the 21-year-old's mental status due to his presenting psychotic symptoms. It was deemed he did not have psychosis, and it was suggested he had faked such symptoms. Mr Polnay said: 'It took some considerable time for the plea to be entered. Reports were necessary for this case. 'I entirely accept the offender does have a mental disorder, but he inevitably made the process longer and more complicated. 'He is someone who has malingered and continued to present false symptoms.' Stephen Moses KC, for Van-Pooss, said the targeting was 'a matter of moments rather than pre-meditated'. He added: 'Any findings of fact that there was malingering are explained by the personality disorder, but are not, in our case, perverting the course of justice. 'Matters were consistent with a personality disorder rather than simply framing mental illness.' He also put forward that a previous defence taken by Van Pooss - that Ms Knights made sexual advances towards him - was never advanced, so should not alter the level of credit given. Ultimately, the Court of Appeal judges decided a mistake had been made in the original sentencing. Van-Pooss also pleaded guilty to upskirting another woman at the pub where he worked the day before he killed Ms Knights. After she reported this, Van-Pooss was dismissed on August 22, 2023, and he left, carrying a backpack with a chef's knife inside. He then built a 'den' by the railway lines near Minnis Bay, Lord Justice Edis said in his judgment. Ms Knights was believed to have been walking a white and brown spaniel called Zebulon when she ran into Van-Pooss the following day. Van-Pooss acted in a 'simple' and 'calculated' way, the judge added, as he beat her and stomped on her head, causing fractures and brain damage. Ms Knights was found concealed in a dyke, having been pushed into the water while she was still alive. Van-Pooss was arrested for the upskirting offence on the evening of the killing, and was later charged with murder. Lord Justice Edis said the killing of a lone woman created 'widespread concern in the local community' and that Van-Pooss received an unduly lenient sentence. He added: 'The first thing we wish to say is that we commend the experienced judge for his approach to this case. 'The judge, in dealing with a horrifying and dreadful case of this kind, has to firmly try and succeed in maintaining an objective approach. 'The judge's job is to apply the law it the facts of the case and to be fair to the person who is to be sentenced. That is not easy in any case like this. 'We believe in making this decision, the judge did fall into error because the aggravating factors did outweigh the mitigating factors. 'That is enforced by what we have to say about the defendant's conduct in mimicking psychosis.' They said a starting term of 33 years should have been given, with only two years deducted for the late guilty plea. Ms Knight's son Elliot Knights-Sloane and her younger sister Annie Watson spoke to KentOnline outside court today. Mr Knights-Sloane said: 'There were things that we felt were glossed over and ignored that were hugely significant in the first hearing, and have now been brought up and actually addressed. 'The principle of that is what matters more than anything else.' His aunt added: 'The three judges recognised that the perpetrator had strung this all along and malingered all the way through and fed the police the story. 'There's a sense of relief now, because every time you come (to court), it just throws you straight back to the horror of it. 'This means now we can get on and we can remember Claire as she should be remembered, and that's what's important.' Mr Knights-Sloane continued: 'We want her death to mean something, and we want something positive to come out of her death. 'If we can do anything towards stopping violence against women, that would be a positive thing.' At Canterbury Crown Court, Ms Knights' friends and family heard harrowing details of how she was ambushed as she strolled with her Springer spaniel in Minnis Bay, Birchington, on August 23, 2023. Van-Pooss subjected her to a vicious sexual assault and beating before dumping her unconscious, but still alive, in a nearby water-filled dyke. Solicitor General Lucy Rigby said: 'Lawrence Van-Pooss's attack on Claire Knights was horrific. He assaulted and brutally murdered her, in a totally random attack. 'I welcome the court's decision to increase Van-Pooss's sentence and I would like to express my deepest sympathies to Claire's family and loved ones.'


The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Male train staff member ‘sexually assaulted' by woman as he walked along carriage – as cops release CCTV
POLICE are searching for a woman after a man was sexually assaulted on a train late at night. The member of staff had been walking down a carriage of the train as it travelled through Nottinghamshire at around 9pm on May 31 when he was sexually assaulted by a woman. The train was between Sutton Parkway and Shirebrook at the time of the assault, British Transport Police said. Now, cops wish to speak with the woman pictured as they believe she may have information that could assist the investigation. If you recognise her, contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 682 of 31 May. You can also report information anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.


Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Five former players acquitted of sexual assault face uncertain NHL future
July 25 (Reuters) - Five former members of Canada's 2018 gold medal-winning world junior ice hockey team may have been acquitted this week in a high-profile sexual assault case but whether they can resume their NHL careers is still to be determined. Michael McLeod, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, Carter Hart and Cal Foote were each found not guilty on Thursday of sexually assaulting a woman in a hotel room after a Hockey Canada gala in 2018 to celebrate the team's world junior championship victory. Four of the players were active NHL players when they were charged by police in 2024, which came shortly after they took leave from their respective teams, while Formenton was playing in Switzerland at the time. Their contracts have since expired. According to CBC News, Justice Maria Carroccia told the courtroom on Thursday that she did not find the complainant's evidence to be "credible or reliable" and that the Crown failed to prove she did not consent to the sexual activity. Following Thursday's verdict, the NHL said the players, who are now all between the ages of 25 and 27, are not allowed to sign with a team while it reviews the judge's findings. "The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable," the NHL said in a statement "We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league." The NHL said it did not have further comment when asked by Reuters on Friday how long its review will take. The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) said ruling the players ineligible during the review is inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement. "After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work," the NHLPA said in a statement. "The NHL's declaration that the players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA." While the players were acquitted and even if the NHL makes them eligible it is too soon to say whether teams would be willing to give any of the men a chance. "The damage to Mr. McLeod's reputation and his career has been significant," McLeod's lawyer, David Humphrey, said outside the courthouse on Thursday. "But today's decision begins to restore what was very unfairly taken away from him."