A Roscommon man who indecently assaulted a neighbour's child has been sentenced to three years in jail. Roscommon Circuit Court was told yesterday that the victim was first assaulted when he was just five years of age.
The victim, now 29 and a member of the Garda, broke down as he described the impact on his childhood after being abused by a trusted neighbour.
He said in an emotional victim impact statement that he wanted his abuser named publicly. Judge Miriam Reynolds ruled that details of Michael Murphy (38), Ardkillan, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, could be published.
Murphy was found guilty last week following a four-day trial. The jury found him unanimously guilty of five counts of indecent assault and three counts of buggery between 1984 and 1990.
The victim, who broke down several times yesterday as he read the impact statement, said his childhood had been deeply affected by what had happened. He had kept "a dark secret" from his family for 21 years. He did not think anyone would believe him. His girlfriend had given him the strength to tell his family and they were devastated at the news.
Murphy had been a trusted friend, but he had cast "a dark shadow" over him which he felt he would never be able to erase. His family and he had been put through two trials and he still did not know if he had made the right decision to tell his family.
Judge Reynolds imposed sentences totalling three years and refused leave to appeal.