A Wicklow man who deliberately groomed a young teenager almost 25 years ago has been jailed for five-and-a-half years.
Fergus Delaney (61), of Allendale Lawn, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in advance of his trial to four charges of sexual assault of the then 14-year-old girl on dates between 2000 and 2001.
His victim has indicated that while she is happy for Delaney to be named in the reporting of the case, she wishes to retain her anonymity.
Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo sentenced Delaney to consecutive sentences totalling five-and-a-half years.
A local garda told Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, prosecuting, that the teenager was 14 years old at the time, while Delaney was 38 years old. The offences occurred over an eight-month period in various locations close to where they lived at the time.
He said the woman outlined how, after some initial conversations over text messages, she began to regularly meet up with Delaney. He sexually assaulted her by kissing her, touching her breasts and genitals. He also got her to touch him.
The woman stated in her victim impact statement that Delaney’s “grooming” of her and sexual abuse of her had “a devastating” impact on her life.
She said Delaney had been “seen as the pillar of the community” – he organised trips with her, and she became good friends with one of his relatives.
“I was a quiet and shy child and loved having a friend like her [referring to Delaney’s relative] – she was more outgoing than me, someone I could trust but it provided him access to me,” the woman continued.
“I was a walking a target. He would buy me an ice-cream and made me feel special,” she continued.
Intial text
She described his attention to her as making her “feeling happy and wanted” before she said that the initial text she got from Delaney was “the beginning of the end of my childhood”.
“I trusted him because I knew him – I liked the way he made me feel grown up and mature,” she continued.
She said would skip school to meet Delaney. She said she became withdrawn from school and the teachers noticed that she had become withdrawn. She said she began to develop an eating disorder.
“I hated that everything was a secret and he had such control over me. I would wash my mouth out with bleach and shower my body with bleach – I felt disgusting,” she said.
She said the abuse had a devastating effect on her life and she left school because of it.
“I was brainwashed by him and told him I was sorry for going to the gardaí,” she continued.
She said Delaney had “never shown an ounce of remorse for what he did to me,” before she added that Delaney suggested in interview with gardaí that she, as a child at the time, had seduced him.
She said she has since returned successfully to education but even after her recent graduation she couldn’t help but think about Delaney – “who stole my dreams and my childhood…..for his own sick sexual gratification”.
She acknowledged that Delaney has now pleaded guilty but said this is not because he is remorseful but because he had no other choice.
Mr Justice Naidoo said Delaney had “deliberately groomed” a young teenager that had an immediate and long-lasting impact of her. He said that it had occurred over an eight month period which would have been “a long time” for a young girl “going through her formative teenage years”.
Mr Justice Naidoo said Delaney had made statements of remorse but added that these “demonstrated limited insight” and predominantly focused on the impact of the offence on Delaney and his family.
Sequential offending
He acknowledged that Delaney’s marriage has broken down and he had lost his job. He accepted that Delaney had no “relevant” previous convictions.
Mr Justice Naidoo said the sentences imposed should be consecutive as the case involved “sequential offending” which had increased in seriousness and involved deliberate grooming.
He imposed consecutive sentences totalling six years before he suspended the final six months on strict conditions including that he engages with the Probation Service for two years.
Mr Justice Naidoo thanked the woman for attending the court hearings and said he understands the difficulties it would have caused her.
“It is important for you and for other people who may be encouraged to come forward with their cases,” Mr Justice Naidoo said before he added that he hoped the woman would now be able to move forward.
Brendan Grehan SC, defending, said his client had been assessed as being at a moderate risk of re-offending and was deemed a suitable candidate for probation supervision.
He said his client had written a letter for the woman stating that he is “very sorry for what happened and any shame and hurt he had caused her” before Delaney wished the woman the best in her future life.
Mr Grehan said Delaney’s marriage has since ended and he has moved out of the family home.
