Man found guilty of indecent assaults against girls in his care

A 92-year-old man has been found guilty by a unanimous jury at Ennis Circuit Court on eight counts of indecent assault. The offences occurred between July 1973 and January 1975, when the victims were aged between 8 and 10 years old.

The two sisters, who are now in their early 60s, traveled from the US and Canada to provide evidence during the five-day trial. One sister received the verdict remotely from Canada while the other was traveling.

The accused, who uses a mobility scooter, previously paid a €70,000 civil settlement in November 2024 regarding the sisters' claims of sexual abuse, though that settlement involved no admission of liability. He also has a prior conviction from 1985 for the indecent assault of a 13-year-old boy.

State counsel indicated that the accused may be remanded on bail pending sentencing, as time is required to gather relevant medical documentation.