Donegal pensioner (88) jailed after admitting sexual offences against two young girls
In putting Sean Norry behind bars for three years, Judge John Aylmer referenced the 'very intrusive nature of the touching' and 'the very negative impact which the offending had on the victim'
A Donegal pensioner has been jailed for three years for sexual offences against two young girls.
Sean Norry, of St Mary’s Terrace, Ramelton, was before Letterkenny Circuit Court on five charges.
The 88-year-old came forward to the Circuit Court on a signed guilty plea from the District Court.
In putting Norry behind bars for three years, Judge John Aylmer referenced the “very intrusive nature of the touching” and “the very negative impact which the offending had on the victim”.
Norry was charged with four counts of sexual assault, contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990.
He was also charged with inviting, inducing, counselling or inciting a child to sexual touching, a charge that is contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 2017.
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At a previous sitting of the court, Detective Garda Donal Kelly outlined the case to State prosecutor Ms Fiona Crawford BL.
The incidents occurred in County Donegal when one of the girls was 13. The other girl endured the incidents when she was between 12 and 14.
The girls were interviewed by specialised detectives .
One girl initially disclosed to her mother what had happened. On one occasion, she told how she “felt trapped” in an incident that lasted for around five minutes before she managed to get free and then told her mother.
The other girl recalled to Gardai that Norry told her that it was “a secret”.
When he was arrested and interviewed, Norry told detectives that he was “just tickling” the girls.
The court heard harrowing evidence of the impact on the girls
“Their innocence was cruelly taken away in the most horrific way,” a victim impact statement said.
The court heard that one girl attended Pieta House and Cahms “due to her fragile mind, dark thoughts and poor self esteem”, but she felt unable to avail of counselling services as anything she said could have affected the court case.
The other girl, the court was told, lived “with extreme guilt, fearing that she may have hurt him (Norry)”.
“Her beautiful, innocent nature was used against her,” her mother said in a victim impact statement. “He was devious enough to know what he was doing - and he continued doing so.”
The woman said she has had sleepless and tearful nights reassuring the young girl that she has done nothing wrong.
Mr Colm Smyth SC, barrister for Norry with Mr Niall O’Neill BL, instructed by solicitor Mr Frank Dorrian, said Norry suffered an accident in 1971 while working in London and returned to live in Donegal thereafter.
Mr Smyth said that Norry has an acquired brain injury and some cognitive issues.
The barrister that Norry, who was supported by a family member in court, wished to convey to the victims how ashamed he is of his actions.
“He has to live with the shame of that,” Mr Smyth said. “And he also has to pay a price for the nasty sexual assaults of two young girls.”
Mr Smyth outlined a series of medical issues to the court and said that Norry has the help of carers and the support of family members,
Norry is assessed as being of a low risk of reoffending - due to his age, the fact that he has no previous convictions and the limited ability and opportunity to access victims.
“He is confined to his house,” Mr Smyth said. “He can’t leave his house, bar perhaps to the garden aided.”
Mr Smyth told the court that Norry “accepts fully what he did was wrong and that his actions have caused harm.”
He said his client has been housed up since 1971 and has not interacted how other people would, living a “very isolated existence”, according to his barrister.
Mr Smyth asked Judge Aylmer not to impose an immediate custodial sentence, adding: “If he were to be incarcerated at this late stage of his life, it could expedite his demise.”
Before considering mitigation, Judge Aylmer set a headline sentence of six years in prison on the sexual assault charges and two years on the other charges.
Judge Aylmer said that the most important piece of mitigation was Norry’s signed plea, which meant that there was never any question of the complainants having to endure a trial or being cross-examined.
Judge Aylmer said that Norry is almost 89 years old and added: “While no special mitigation has to be given because of advanced years, the law does recognise that what would otherwise seem a short sentence could amount to a life sentence.”
The Judge noted that Norry had no previous convictions, had not come to any subsequent adverse attention and was deemed to be a low risk of reoffending.
However, he said Norry had limited victim empathy, although the Probation Service indicated that this may relate to “a level of cognitive impairment” suffered by the defendant. Judge Aylmer said he also had to consider Norry’s poor mobility and poor health.
Judge Aylmer reduced the sentences to one of four years imprisonment for the four sexual assault charges and to 16 months in prison on the other charge with the sentences to run concurrently.
Due to Norry’s advanced years and the other mitigating factors, Judge Aylmer suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on Norry entering a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 12 months subsequent to his release.