A former GAA sports coach has been jailed for 3½ years for indecently assaulting two girls more than 20 years ago.
In Dundalk Circuit Court yesterday Christopher Melia (59), of Carnog Brugha, Drogheda pleaded guilty to 10 sample counts of indecent assault on the girls between 1980 and 1987.
The assaults, described by Judge Raymond Groarke as "depraved", took place between 1980 and 1987 in the man's house. The court heard that the first complaint was made to gardaí in 2002 after one of the girls, who is now a mother, saw Melia at a match and realised he was training an under-age GAA team.
Garda Valerie Gahon said that eight of the 10 sample counts related to one of the girls, the other two to the second. When gardaí interviewed Melia he admitted the offences and said he knew what he was doing and "it seemed at the time it wasn't so bad," he said in his statement.
Melia, who had worked for Irish Rail in Drogheda for over 30 years resigned once the offences came to light and, at the request of the GAA, he is no longer associated with the organisation.
The garda said that the girl against whom the eight offences were admitted has a fear of strangers and men in particular, while the second is in counselling, has trouble sleeping and is conscious of how she dresses her own children for fear they would "look attractive".
Mr Roddy O'Hanlon, defending, said Melia was a recovered chronic alcoholic and a manic-depressive. After 17 years involvement with the GAA, without any complaint being made about him, his association has been broken off. He had co-operated with gardaí and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He had also apologised to the victims.
One of the victims told the court that the abuse "took away my childhood and innocence. You miss out years of your life." She also said she tried not to put her fears from her childhood on to her own children.
Passing sentence, Judge Groarke said that the first girl was about four years old when the abuse started and it continued for eight years; the second girl was approximately nine when it began and it lasted for about two years.
As well as the touching of the girls, he said, there "was the added sordid if not depraved act of his orally touching each child." The offences were perpetrated by means of threat, terror and fear that he elicited in them and the effect of the offences had been devastating for them.
"He has taken their innocence and damaged their capacity to form relationships," he added.
In relation to the first girl he imposed sentences of 18 months and two years and in relation to the second a two-year term.
While the individual sentences are to run concurrently he ordered that the sentences in relation to the second girl run consecutively with the first. He suspended the final six months and said that effectively Melia would serve 3½ years.