A man who raped a 14-year-old girl in Co Offaly after he arranged to supply drugs to her in exchange for a kiss has been jailed for six years. Callan Ward (20) pleaded guilty yesterday at the Central Criminal Court to anally raping the girl on November 10th, 2013. Mr Justice Paul Carney suspended the final two years of the sentence, taking into account his early guilty plea and lack of previous convictions other than road offences.
Ward, Kilcruttin Halting Site, Tullamore, was ordered to keep away from the girl forever and enter a bond of €1,000. He must also undergo 18 months of supervision by the Probation Service and attend any recommended treatment programmes.
Mr Justice Carney said Ward had supplied drugs in return for sexual credit in the form of a kiss, before he went on to anally rape the girl. “He was very quick to then ask her for his drugs money,” the judge added.
Garda Sgt Simon Murphy told Pádraig Hogan, prosecuting, that one of the girl’s friends told her to phone Ward to get drugs. This friend told her to ask for one ounce of hash on credit. She did so and arranged to pay the next week.
Ward said he would give her the hash if she would “meet up” with him, which she understood to mean “kiss”.
The girl told gardaí she met Ward at the back of a sports club and he put his hands around her hips and was gentle at first. He then put his hands on her although she kept saying “no”. When she resisted rape, he said: “Don’t be sly, I have your half-ounce in my pocket,” and he kept trying to turn her to face the wall.
Afterwards he asked if she would have the money for the hash the following week, and she said yes.The girl told her teacher the following day and a complaint was lodged. DNA samples of Ward were found in her rectum and underwear.
In a victim impact statement, the court heard the girl was afraid to leave the house by herself and had lost her confidence. She was depressed and lashing out at her family. according to the statement.
The court heard she was very stressed when she was getting calls from Ward about not going ahead with the complaint and feared he was going to “go after her”.
Ward has 10 previous minor convictions, mostly traffic offences. Colm Smyth SC, defending, apologised to the victim on his client’s behalf, and said Ward was greatly ashamed of himself.
Ward was declared a sex offender. His sentence was backdated to July 21st, with credit for three weeks in custody.