A man who sexually abused his deceased friend’s 12-year-old daughter in Co. Monaghan has been jailed for nine years.

The 51-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the anonymity of the victim, was convicted of sample counts of attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation on dates between January 1st 2021 and September 1st 2021.

He was acquitted on one count of sexual exploitation.

Detective Garda Stephanie Harvey told the Central Criminal Court the girl’s mother was friends with the man after the death of her husband.

She told Diana Stuart SC, prosecuting, the child was 12 when the abuse occurred.

Det Gda Harvey said the count of sexual exploitation related to the accused making the girl sit on his legs, during which he asked her to kiss him and for sex.

On dates between May 1st 2021 and September 1st 2021, he got the girl to touch his penis and masturbate him. He forced her to kiss and touch him.

On another occasion, he asked her to put her mouth on his penis.

He attempted to rape the girl on her birthday but could not penetrate her. The sexual assaults involved digital penetration and inappropriate touching over her clothes.

When interviewed by gardaí, the man denied the allegations and said the girl was “ill in the head and made it all up”. He was charged on November 5, 2025.

A victim impact statement was handed in to the court but not read out.

He has previous convictions, including some in Ireland for public order offences. The court heard he has significant difficulties with alcohol. His criminal record involves him coming to the adverse attention of the gardai as “more of a nuisance”.

He has practically no English, and no family connections in the State at all, counsel said.

Det Gda Harvey agreed under cross-examination that the man travelled to Ireland around the same time as the girl’s father. Both were working in the same industry in Dublin when the girl’s father died suddenly, the court was told.

Det Gda Harvey agreed with counsel that his client may be expelled from the country once he has served his sentence. “The gardaí have to make an application to the Department of Justice,” said Det Gda Harvey.

In plea of mitigation, defence counsel Garnet Orange SC said his client, who turns 52 in November, was “living a very sad, pathetic existence.”

He is unemployed, alcoholic and homeless with no family. He has no remaining connections in his home country either and is facing into a lengthy sentence.

Judge Patrick McGrath said the offending was in the middle range of the 10 to 15 year category. He noted the age gap was an aggravating factor as the man was close to 50 and she was a child.

The judge also noted the vulnerable nature of the complainant. The judge took account of the breach of trust as a family friend who maintained contact with the family “and he clearly abused that”.

The judge noted the mitigating factors including the “late acceptance of the verdict”, lack of previous convictions, and his isolation in jail.

Judge McGrath set a headline sentence of 11 years, but taking mitigation into account, he reduced this to nine years, to be backdated for time spent in custody.

*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. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112. *