A sports coach has been sentenced to three years in jail after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy whom he used to take for personal training sessions on his own.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted sexually assaulting the boy three times in a Co Cork town between October 1st, 2004, and February 2nd, 2005.
Det Garda Michael O'Sullivan told Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday that the assaults came to light when the boy's parents discovered obscene text messages on his mobile phone. They contacted gardaí who traced the messages to the sports coach.
In the course of a Garda interview, he admitted sexual assault. Gardaí had received no complaint of sexual assaults.
The boy had become very upset and withdrawn initially after details of the sexual assaults had emerged but he had since gone for counselling and was improving, although he was no longer involved in the sports club.
The defendant, who has since moved to Dublin where he works in security for a hotel, apologised in court for his actions and the trauma and distress he had caused his victim and his family. He admitted that he had a problem with sexual matters and had gone for assessment at the Granada Institute.
Judge Patrick Moran sentenced the man to three years in jail but suspended the final year and directed that he attend a course for sex offenders at Arbour Hill Prison. He also ordered that his name be placed on the register of sex offenders for 10 years.