Farmer sexually abused boy with special needs on his Mayo farm

A 79-year-old farmer who sexually assaulted a teenager with special needs on his farm will be sentenced in July and was advised to use the intervening months ‘very wisely’.

The defendant, who cannot be named due to legal reasons, appeared before Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court where he pleaded guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the boy on his farm in October 2018.

The victim who was 16 years old at the time and attending a special school was sexually assaulted by the farmer after it was arranged by a family member that he would help him on his farm on Saturdays.

Detective Garda Paula Griffin explained that the farmer was a person of trust to the boy’s family and on the three occassions the sexual assault took place, the farmer would direct the boy to change into clothes he had given him to carry out the work. When he undressed, the man would direct him to lie on the bed and touch and rub the boy's penis.

Detective Garda Griffin said that on the first occasion, when the boy asked him to stop he didn't and told the boy to just relax. She said that the assault occurred again at the end of the day.

The boy was paid €10 for the work each day which occurred on October 6, October 13 and October 20, 2018 and the court heard he was sexually assaulted at the beginning and at the end of each day when the boy would change his clothes.

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Detective Garda Griffin said the boy's mother reported the incident after the boy complained that he did not want to return to the farm and described what happened to him. The boy complained to his mother that his penis was sore.

Interview

SHE explained that the boy was interviewed by specialist garda interviewers in Sligo Garda Station and relayed all this information to gardaí.

The farmer was interviewed regarding the allegations after his arrest on April 25, 2019 and made no admissions to sexually assaulting the boy and claimed that the boy's uncle was always present. Detective Garda Griffin said this was later disproved. The farmer claimed he terminated the work agreement but the court was told this was contradictory to messages on the boy's mobile.

Detective Garda Griffin said that the farmer claimed the allegations were 100 percent lies and all made up.

The farmer pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault last October but subsequently changed his legal representatives and made an application before Judge Eoin Garavan to change his plea.

Mr Martin Durack, counsel for the defendant made the application claiming his client was influenced by his former legal representatives but the application was denied.

Mr Durack said that while his client pleaded guilty he denied the version described by Detective Garda Griffin said this was not the true version of what happened. Mr Durack said the clothes provided to him were not farm clothes and claimed they were 'designer' clothes.

Judge Garavan said that given the ruling of the court, the defendant has to decide what his future stance will be and that was purely a matter for him.

Judge Garavan agreed to extend legal aid to cover a medical report from the defendant's GP and adjourned sentencing to July 21, 2026 and warned the defendant to use his time until then very wisely.