Stock agent sentenced
Jury returns verdict over sexual assault
THE turbulent trial of a prominent Warwick figure accused of rape and sexual assault has resulted in a jury finding him not guilty of the most serious offence, but guilty of four other sexual offences.
George Joseph McVeigh appeared in Warwick District Court this week where he was charged with one count of rape, one count of attempted rape, and three counts of sexual assault following an incident outside a woman’s home on January 31, 2021.
The 58-year-old stock agent pleaded not guilty to all charges, with the trial of the father of five beginning last Tuesday.
On Monday, McVeigh was found not guilty by the jury on the charges of rape and attempted rape. However, McVeigh was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault, and one charge of assault with the intent to rape.
While the jury was initially unable to reach a conclusion on two other charges of sexual assault, further deliberations on Monday afternoon saw them return a guilty verdict on the third charge of sexual assault, while the other charge was completely discharged due to the jury being unable to reach a verdict.
While McVeigh was unmoved by the guilty verdict, supporters in the public gallery became distressed at the outcome.
In his sentencing, Judge Craig Chowdhury told McVeigh a “woman is entitled to feel safe wherever she is, but particularly at her own home, at her own property”.
“The jury have found you had the intention to have sexual intercourse without the woman’s consent, which is the aggravating feature,” he said.
“I will act on the basis that your offending has had significant adverse effect on the woman.”
McVeigh was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, but with his otherwise good character taken into consideration, the jail term was ordered to be suspended after eight months served, with convictions recorded.