A man changed his plea in the Central Criminal Court yesterday and admitted raping a girl in August 1997 when she was 13.
When asked if she wanted to say anything following the man's guilty plea, the girl, who is in the care of the Eastern Health Board, told Mr Justice Quirke: "I hope he gets locked up for life".
Speaking to the girl, now 14, via the video-link system, Mr Justice Quirke said: "You have been completely and wholly vindicated. What you have alleged has been accepted by the man".
The defendant, a 25-year-old married father of one, was remanded in custody for sentence on December 17th. Members of his family as well as the girl's family were in court for the short hearing.
When the defendant was arraigned before the jury panel in the Central Criminal Court yesterday, he entered pleas of not guilty to raping the girl, having unlawful carnal knowledge of her, a girl under the age of 15, and sexually assaulting her in west Dublin on August 27th, 1997.
There was momentary confusion when the man initially answered guilty to the charge of unlawful carnal knowledge. Mr Michael Durack SC, defending, said his client had not understood the complicated wording of the charge and asked that it be put again.
The defendant pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him a second time. After the jury was sworn, the case was moved to the video-link court which allows alleged victims to give evidence by video from another room.
Before the case opened, however, there were lengthy discussions between the defence and the prosecution. When the court assembled, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, prosecuting, said the defendant wished to be re-arraigned on the rape charge.
The defendant pleaded guilty and a probation report was requested on him for the sentence hearing in December.
Mr Durack said a psychiatric report would be furnished by the defence.
Mr Sammon asked the judge to enter a nolle prosequi in relation to the two outstanding charges and for the preparation of a victim impact report on the girl. He also asked that she be informed the defendant had admitted his guilt.
Mr Justice Quirke told the girl she would not have to give evidence in a trial as she had been vindicated and her allegations were totally accepted by the defendant as true.
The judge added: "I hope your future will be kinder to you than the past."