Sports coach admits sexual assault of minor

INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN HOTEL BEDROOM

A MENTOR with a youth sports squad in the Enniscorthy area pleaded guilty to sexual assault of a teenaged player in a hotel bedroom following team celebrations.

The District Court heard that the offender came from a well-respected family and that he has lost his job as a result of what occurred last year.

Reporting restrictions were in force at the hearing to protect the identity of the injured party.

Judge John Cheatle had the benefit of medical and psychiatric reports.

On the night in question, the accused booked a room in a north Wexford hotel where the celebrations were taking place.

He informed the players that the room was available for anyone who did not have transport home.

In the early hours of that night, the young man, who was under 18 at the time, said he was not feeling well.

He was brought to the reserved room. He was found there lying on the bed when the defendant later arrived and began to make advances to the youth.

The older man rubbed the player’s arm and attempted to put his hand between the youth’s legs.

He invited the teenager to perform a sex act on him.

His advances were spurned, so the accused began watching porn on a laptop.

The injured party left the hotel in the morning, later confiding what happened to a friend and contacting gardaí about the assault.

The prosecuting Garda Sergeant reckoned that the boy has since made a full recovery.

The defending barrister pointed out that, if the matter had been contested, then it might have taken two or three years to complete examination of his client’s computer and phone, due to a garda backlog.

The court was told that the man was very contrite about what took place in the hotel.

The club meant a lot to him but he was now no longer involved and he faced the prospect of being placed on the sex offenders register.

The incident has had an enormous effect on the defendant’s life, stated counsel.

The matter stands adjourned to June 20 for