A six-year-old girl underwent reconstructive surgery to her genital area and had to cope with a post-operative colostomy bag following an aggravated sexual assault by her mother's cousin.
The 27-year-old accused, who may not be named for legal reasons, is a member of the Travelling community. Galway Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday that while on remand in Castlerea Prison he has asked the prison authorities for protection following alleged threats from other Traveller inmates there.
A medical report from a doctor at University College Hospital Galway stated the child suffered severe lacerations and rupture of the vaginal and rectal areas as a result of an aggravated sexual assault.
The accused man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl down a bog road near a Traveller encampment between 9pm and 11pm on May 10th last year.
He also pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to the child and to falsely imprisoning her on the same occasion.
Det Sgt Michael O'Driscoll gave evidence that the child's extended family, including her mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents lived in five caravans and the accused, who lived in a nearby town, regularly called to visit.
He said that on the day the assault took place the accused had been drinking all day with his cousins and later that night he went to one of the caravans where up to six children were sleeping and took the victim out of bed.
He brought her down a bog road nearby and assaulted her there.
An examination of the scene the next day revealed blood on the ground and gorse bushes which matched that of the child.
The accused man's clothing was also bloodstained when he was arrested later that afternoon.
Judge Raymond Groarke observed that if the accused had sex with the child he would be before a different court. He said the injury had to be done manually and he asked Det Sgt O'Driscoll how the injuries were sustained.
Det Sgt O'Driscoll said he could not answer that question and that he was bound by the findings of the medical report and by Dr Corbally, who performed the reconstructive surgery.
The child had required a "covering" colostomy for a time after surgery. The surgeon's report stated it was difficult to comment on the long-term physical damage and that incontinence to some degree would not be uncommon, requiring future surgery.
Det Sgt O'Driscoll said he had found the child lying on a bed in a caravan covered with a quilt, after being called to the encampment at about 7.20am on May 11th - the morning after the attack. The child sat up when he and another garda entered and her mother pulled back the quilt.
Det Sgt O'Driscoll took the child to University College Hospital, Galway and from there she was transferred to the children's hospital in Crumlin.
He said the child had no understanding of what had really happened to her but she was afraid for a while afterwards that her mother could not protect her and had been placed in the care of her paternal aunt, whom she loved and trusted.
Judge Groarke said he had a problem in dealing with sentencing as he did not know what risk of reoffending, if any, the accused posed.
The case was adjourned to December 5th next for a psychiatrist's report.