A man has been sentenced to two years for having sex with a 14-year-old girl at his Dublin home almost four years ago, when he was 18 years of age.
Shane Jackson (21) met the teenager for the first time that day through an acquaintance. They went to his bedroom, having earlier watched a DVD together, kissed and had sex.
The girl went to gardaí four months later with her mother after she became upset and revealed what had happened.
Previous convictions
Jackson, Phoenix Street, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having sex with a child under 17 between December 1st and December 12th, 2009. He has 44 previous convictions for road traffic, burglary, arson and public order offences.
Jackson is currently serving a sentence for a drug offence and is due for release in June 2015.
Judge Martin Nolan said Jackson’s plea of guilty had “avoided the necessity of the girl having to give evidence in a trial, which is to his credit”.
He said considering Jackson’s age now and his age at the time of the offence he did not think there was a need “to extend his stay in prison”.
“Hopefully his time in prison will allow him time to reflect,” Judge Nolan commented, adding that he had also taken into consideration the fact he is now registered as a sex offender.
Garda Claire Hardman told Cathleen Noctor, prosecuting, that Jackson was arrested in August 2010 following the girl’s complaint to gardaí. He admitted that he had sex with the girl. He initially said he knew she was just about 15 but later claimed that she had told him she was 17 years old. The victim subsequently denied this.
A victim impact report stated that the teenager felt she had sex too young and it had turned her off sex.
She said she felt dirty all the time, did not feel like herself and did not feel confident. The girl said she got hassle from her friends and in school after she complained to gardaí.
Dean Kelly, defending, said his client left school as a 12- year-old and attended an early school leaver’s programme.
He completed his Junior Cert and attended some work placements, but soon developed a drug and alcohol problem.
Substance abuse
Mr Kelly said his substance abuse had affected Jackson's ability to hold down a job and that he acknowledged himself that he became a nuisance.
Mr Kelly submitted that his client being registered a sex offender was a burden he would have to carry in both his personal and working life and it would make his time in prison more difficult.
“He wishes to apologise to the young lady and wishes her well in the future,” Mr Kelly said before he added that his client also understood the wrong he had done.