A Kilkenny man has been convicted of sexually abusing eight boys over 30 years ago.
The man had denied the charges but was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury on Thursday.
After ten hours and thirteen minutes of deliberations, the jury returned guilty verdicts to 78 counts which included charges of oral rape, anal rape and sexual assault against eight complaints.
The man had pleaded not guilty to a total of 121 charges against the boys, including sexual assault, anal rape and oral rapes on dates between 1995 and 2007.
Ms Justice Eileen Creeden thanked the jury for their time and excused them from jury duty for seven years. The complainants who were present in court were supported by family members and remained silent and composed throughout.
The defendant was silent while the verdicts were being read out to the court but was restless.
Ms Justice Creedon revoked the man’s bail and remanded him in custody. She adjourned the matter for sentencing until July 8th next and ordered the preparation of victim impact statements from the eight complaints in the case.
At the opening of the trial last month, Dominic McGinn SC prosecuting told the jury that the man is accused of sexual abuse involving both anal and oral rape over a period of 12 years against eight boys.
He said the case involves two sets of three brothers and two other young boys who all allege that the man abused them in his homes and also in some other areas in the locality.
Mr McGinn said that the accused “lured them into conversation by the offer of cigarettes” and then invited them into his home “where he would prey on their innocence, naivety and confusion”.
He said one 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 when he was 11 years old between 1997 and 1999.
The man was convicted of abusing three brothers in one family.
The first of these brothers was sexually assaulted, including both anally and orally raped when he was between 11 and 13 years old from 1996 and 2000.
His brother was around 11 years old when he was sexually assaulted by the man between 1999 and 2000.
The third of these brothers was a similar age when he was also sexually assaulted by the man.
A second family of three brothers were also abused by the man between 1998 and 2007, when they were aged between 10 and 17 years old.
The first of these brothers was orally and anally raped by the accused when he was between 10 and 15 years old.
The second of these brothers was sexually assaulted more frequently than the other boys.
The last of these brothers was sexually assaulted by the man from the time he was 10 to 16 years old.
These brothers reported the abuse to their mother in 2000, and the gardaí were alerted, but the case did not progress.
The court heard that one of the complainants attacked the home of the accused a number of years later. He was arrested and prosecuted for this offence.
It was during the investigation of this attack that the man claimed he had been abused by the accused, which was why he reacted the way he did. His disclosure led to the other men coming forward.
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.
By Sonya McLean
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