A 24-year-old Dublin man received a four-year suspended sentence yesterday for having sexual intercourse with a schoolgirl starting when she was 14.
The man's conduct had been "absolutely reprehensible", Mr Justice Geoghegan said in the Central Criminal Court. However, it was less likely that the defendant, who was described as immature, would re-offend if he remained in the family home, he said.
The unemployed man pleaded guilty to four charges of having unlawful carnal knowledge of the girl on dates from June 1994 to June 1995.
The defendant undertook to be of good behaviour for four years and not to make any contact with the victim.