ACCOUNTANT ON TRIAL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF SCHOOL GIRLS

Date Published: 20-Feb-2013

A 42-year old accountant has gone on trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court charged with sexually assaulting four schoolgirls over a ten-year period.The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies 24 charges of sexual assault against the four girls which are alleged to have taken place in a rural village between 1996 and 2006 when they were aged between five and twelve years of age.Two of the victims, who are now aged 18 and 19 respectively, gave evidence on the first day of the trial today.Both told the jury of three women and nine men that the accused used to invite them into his sitting room and give them turns at playing games on his computer while sitting on his knees.The first witness said she was around seven or eight when the abuse started.She said the accused used to sexually assault her as she sat on his lap in front of the computer.She said the accused tried to lure her into his home with sweets when she was ten but she refused.She said she was 11 when he sexually assaulted her for the last time in a community hall.The second witness said she was around five when the accused started abusing her at the computer.He taught her how to play a golf game while abusing her.The trial continues tomorrow before Judge Rory McCabe and is expected to last three days.