An 85-year-old former mayor of Oughterard, Co Galway, who raped and sexually assaulted five girls when they were aged between seven and 16 has been jailed for nine years by the Central Criminal Court.
John Fahy pleaded guilty to two charges of rape and seven charges of sexual assault, all sample charges of offences he committed on dates from 1981 to 1992.
Fahy told gardaí that one of the girls "brought it on herself", but also told his victims he was truly sorry and apologised for his "wandering hands".
Mr Justice Paul Carney said Fahy's behaviour was a "grave breach of trust" towards the victims and their families and his actions had enormous and continuous effects on the women involved.
He sentenced Fahy to nine years for the two rape charges and four years for the sex assault charges, to run concurrently.
The last four years of the sentence were suspended.
When evidence was first heard on May 9th, Supt Michael Curley of Salthill Garda station said a 31-year-old woman reported incidences of indecent assault on her by Fahy to gardaí on November 12th, 2001.
She said that when she was aged between 14 and 15, Fahy put his hand inside her T-shirt and fondled her breast while she was sitting on a chair in his home. He then told her to come into his bedroom but she refused and fled the house. Supt Curley said the woman's sister said Fahy also sexually abused her when she was aged between 10 and 13. Fahy kissed her and tried to put his tongue in her mouth before he put his hands down her trousers and touched her genitals.
Fahy also sexually abused and raped another girl when she was as young as seven. She said he was a frequent visitor to her home and that he raped her twice. A fourth victim said Fahy tried to rape her and sexually assaulted her on a number of occasions between 1984 and 1986 when she was aged between 10 and 12.
Supt Curley said Fahy claimed this girl initiated the abuse and "brought it upon herself".
A fifth girl said Fahy sexually assaulted her twice when she was aged between seven and 13.
Supt Curley said Fahy was very interested in nature and he would often take these children on nature trails or invite them into his house to see his collection of nature videos and other items he had collected. He would regularly give them 20 pence after he abused them and sometimes he gave them sweets.
Supt Curley told the court Fahy was single and had lived all in his life in the Galway area. He was highly respected in the community before these offences came to light and was mayor of Oughterard for a short time.
He agreed with Patrick McCarthy SC, prosecuting, that it was difficult for Fahy's victims to inform gardaí of his crimes because of his high standing in the community.
A warrant was obtained for Fahy's arrest in December 2001 and he made a number of admissions. Supt Curley agreed with Michael Bowman, defending, that it would be unlikely Fahy would offend again given his mature years and the fact that he was now known as a paedophile.
He told Mr Justice Carney his client was unreservedly apologetic for this "utterly inexcusable behaviour".