A Tipperary teen who sexually assaulted his friend has had his sentence suspended.
The accused was 15 when he sexually assaulted the then 14-year-old girl in a field in Co Tipperary in July 2019.
The now 18 year old – who cannot be named to protect the identity of the complainant – had pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to sexual assault in 2019.
A local Garda told John O’Kelly SC, prosecuting, the accused and the girl both consumed alcohol in a field, started kissing and then the accused sexually assaulted the victim.
He later admitted to touching the victim’s genital area.
He has not come to Garda attention since the offence.
In her victim impact statement the girl said she does not want him to get away with this or to do it to anyone else.
The Garda agreed with Colman Cody SC, defending, that his client has complied with all his bail conditions, one of which is to not go near the victim.
She agreed the accused has not said or done anything to put the victim in fear, and that he “unequivocally” accepts responsibility for what happened, that it should not have happened and that he took advantage of a friend.
Mr Cody urged the court to deal with this matter in a non-custodial way and said that detention had to be regarded as “the very last resort”.
The case came before Justice Paul McDermott this week who imposed a sentence of two years detention suspended for 12 months on strict conditions.
