Sexual assaults on teenage girl ‘destroyed many lives’, judge says

A man has been jailed for 5½ years after being found guilty of a number sexual assault charges against a teenage girl which had “destroyed many lives”.½

The 12 offences committed by Michael King (52), previously of Warren View, Boyle, Co Roscommon, happened on various dates between December 2004 and September 2005.

In a short letter read to Roscommon Circuit Court, King said he was sorry for the “anguish and upset” he had caused to Tara Kelly and her family.

“It was never my intent to make you feel the way you feel. I’m so sorry for the pain you’ve been feeling over the years,” he said.

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Letters submitted by members of King’s family expressed shock at his offending and sorrow for the distress caused to Ms Kelly.

‘Blighted’

Barrister Dara Foynes, for King, told Judge Kenneth Connolly that her client “has blighted the lives of his six children” and of “two families who used to be very close”.

Judge Connolly noted that the maximum applicable sentence in respect of each count on the indictment was 14 years. He described it as a “tragic” and “horrific” case and said he was struck by “the sheer radius of destruction that occurred” as a consequence of King’s offending.

“He has destroyed many lives, particularly for Tara Kelly and the wider Kelly family, as well as the King family.”

Judge Connolly noted that there was no guilty plea to any of the 12 charges on the indictment.

“I am not allowed to take that as an aggravating factor,” he admitted, “but in this nature of case, obviously a plea of guilty would attract significant mitigation because it relieves the victim of the stress of a trial.”

He expressed his hope that Ms Kelly would find some comfort in the jury’s verdict.

‘Hands are tied’

Judge Connolly noted that King’s estranged wife had written a letter “beseeching me not to impose a custodial sentence, but the court’s hands are tied”.

Aggravating factors included the “extreme breach of respect and breach of trust” while King was entrusted with Ms Kelly’s care.

The abuse, he said, escalated “quite significantly, from kissing and touching to much more serious acts”.

A further aggravating factor was that it was not a once-off offence, but nine months of abuse, which escalated all the time and the fact King offered limited cooperation with the Garda investigation.

Cases like this, Judge Connolly noted, are sometimes described as “historical abuse cases”.

“I don’t like that at all. Although the events are historic, the effects are permanent,” he said, adding that there was a “significant age disparity” with King aged in his 30s and victim just 16.

No remorse

He said there was no remorse in the context of the probation report provided to the court.

Mitigating factors included the fact that King had no previous convictions and has not come to adverse Garda attention since the offences happened. He has an “excellent work history and work ethic” and testimonials from his family “speak of an excellent father, husband, son and indeed citizen”.

King offered some cooperation to gardaí, admitting that a relationship had taken place, and giving details of events which corroborated Ms Kelly’s evidence. The impact on his family, the fact he lost his marriage and his community standing, as well as his employment, were also taken into account.

“He has penned an apology. I have to say it’s a short apology and it’s not a very fulsome apology but the court will accept the apology for what it is. It has not been accepted by Tara Kelly,” the judge said.

He reduced the total sentence of 7½ years to 6½ years before suspending the final 12 months.